Say I Love You
by MrsMalfoy18
Summary: Tooru loves to win, so when Iwa proposes a bet, he accepts without hesitation. Rated T just in case. Short, bite sized chapters :)
1. Chapter 1

"You think you're so great."

"Because I am." He flashed a smile, "You're just mad because girls love me."

"Not all of them." Iwa insisted.

"Oh yeah, wanna bet?"

Iwa raised an eyebrow. "Ok. I'll pick the girl. If you can get her to tell you she loves you by the end of February, then I'll do your cleanup for the rest of term."

Tooru scoffed. Two whole months? They were just asking him to win. "Done. Pick anyone."

Iwa scanned the yard, his eyes landing on just the girl he was looking for. "Miko, from English."

"Who?"

He chuckled. "Have fun with that."

Tooru followed Iwa's eyes, landing on the quiet girl he vaguely recognized from English. She was reading while she ate, her brown hair tied up neatly in a ponytail, and she was balancing her lunch on her knees. She didn't have any friends around. That should be simple enough.

He strode over to her confidently, and blocked her light, casting his shadow over her open book. She looked up.

"Oh," she quickly tried to chew her food, and put a hand over her mouth, "Hello, Oikawa-san."

"Miko-chan, right? Can I call you that?"

She blinked. "Um, sure, I guess."

He sat down next to her, rather close, his face much too friendly. "In that case call me Tooru. I had a question, actually, if you don't mind."

"Oh, yes, of course." She smiled kindly. She probably assumed he needed help with the homework or something. He smirked, flashing her his best smile.

"I was wondering if you wanted to go on a date?"

She had taken a sip of her juice, and practically choked. He smiled inwardly. This really would be too easy.

"Excuse me?"

"Go on a date with me."

She blinked, looking at him. "W-Why?"

He was slightly taken aback by this. He had assumed she would just take his offer. "What?"

"We don't know each other. I don't think you've ever really spoken to-"

"Well that's why I'm asking," he said easily, recovering, "I want to get to know you better. You've always caught my eye, you know."

He noticed her blushing and he smirked. Hook, line, sinker.

"U-um, ok. What did you have in mind?"

He shrugged carelessly. "Maybe a movie? We can meet at the mall this weekend."

She smiled shyly. "O-Ok."

He pulled out his phone. "Give me your contact, yeah?"

"Right!" she pulled out her own phone.

Once they had finished, he smirked at her and got off the bench. "Ciao, Miko-chan." He winked and waved as he left.

Miko sat with her heart pumping out of her chest. Tooru Oikawa just asked her on a date. _Her._ Could she be dreaming? She pinched herself and winced, but thought nothing of the pain. It was no dream. Had he really noticed someone as quiet as her? She bit back a smile, trying to return to her book, but found it nearly impossible with her thoughts continually circling back to Tooru.

* * *

 **A/N: So the chapters for this story will all be short in nature. I'm really just using this as a way to get over my writer's block, but I hope you guys can enjoy it anyway. Tooru's a pretty handsome guy after all ^^ So please feel free to let me know what you think! Happy reading!**


	2. Chapter 2

Saturday came a lot quicker than she had expected. And she had never been on a date before, let alone with someone as popular as Tooru, so that morning she went through at least twenty different outfit changes. Her mother insisted she leave her hair down, so she did, but when she got on the train she put it back up in a ponytail. It was just more comfortable that way. Her outfit wasn't anything to get too crazy about. Jeans and a sweater, with a scarf wrapped around her neck. She looked so plain. She bit her lip nervously, wondering what he might think.

Tooru was at the mall early, because he knew girls loved when guys were waiting for them. It made them feel special or something. And this small shy girl would be falling in love with him in a matter of moments. Hell, she might even blurt it out by the end of today. He smirked to himself.

He was surprised to see her jogging up to him, though.

"Sorry! Were you waiting long? The train had a small delay-"

"It's fine," he smiled kindly, "Do you know what movie you wanna see?"

"Oh, um, well, I like anything. Just nothing scary." She giggled.

He looked at her. She was kind of cute, even if she did seem to be all over the place. No one he'd ever go for on his own, though.

He pointed to a poster, "This one's supposed to be a comedy. How about it?"

"Okay." She smiled.

They made their way to the ticket booth, and Miko reached out to hand him some money, but Tooru pushed her hand away.

"You're my date, right? I'll pay." He said easily.

Her cheeks flushed. "Thank you."

They made their way inside, and he inhaled deeply, the buttery popcorn calling to him. She noticed this and smiled. "Since you paid for the movie, I'll get the popcorn." She grinned.

He made to stop her, but she was already out of his reach. He scoffed. Energetic little thing, wasn't she?

Throughout the movie, she kept giggling softly, almost as though she were embarrassed, continuously covering her laughter with her mouth. He found himself looking at her, and quickly shook his head. He couldn't lose focus. He had a bet to win.

When they left the theater, he kept his eye on her, worrying he might lose her in the crowd because she was so short.

"So what'd you think?"

"Oh it was so funny! I loved it!" Her eyes were bright.

He laughed.

"Thank you, Oikawa-san."

"I told you, call me Tooru."

Her cheeks turned a light pink and she looked away from him. Perfect, he thought.

"Hey, do you have to go, or do you want to walk around for a bit?"

She smiled up at him. "I don't mind walking around."

He nodded and led the way. "So tell me about yourself."

Her eyes widened. "Huh? About me? Oh," she laughed nervously, "I'm not a very interesting person."

"I doubt that. What do you like to do?"

"Um. Well. I like to write…" her voice trailed off, as though it were an embarrassing confession. Girls were always so weird that way, but he knew that if you complimented them, that was basically all it took.

"Really? That's interesting. I'm not very good with words myself. I bet you have all sorts of different stories and things."

In truth he didn't really care. If all she did was write in her free time then she really was a boring person.

But her eyes lit up as he said so, and he felt just a small pang of guilt.

"Oh, well I'm not _that_ good…but I want to be! It's…" she smiled at him, "I thought maybe you'd think it was weird."

He shook his head. "Everyone needs a passion, right?"

"Like you and volleyball."

He scoffed. "Yeah."

"I've actually never seen you play…but I hear you're quite the superstar." She said it teasingly.

He found it interesting how comfortable she was becoming all of a sudden. "You've never been to a game?"

She shook her head. "No. But now I guess I have reason to, right?"

He chuckled. "Sure. I'd like to see you there."

"When's your next one?"

"Friday."

She nodded. "I'll be there."

He stuck his hands in his pockets. "Cool."


	3. Chapter 3

She showed up to his game, as promised. He didn't think much of it. Just another one of a million girls that had shown up to watch him. But even still, she managed to catch his eye in the deafening crowd. Maybe it's because she was so plain. So plain that she stood out amongst all the other girls. It's like she didn't even bother to try. Not that she had to, exactly, but he had noticed she didn't wear makeup, or fuss with her hair like the other girls did. He found himself wondering why that was.

And so, while his attention was mostly on the game, as it should have been, he kept her in the corner of his eye, completely aware of her presence. When a time out was called he couldn't help but steal a few glances at her. She wasn't smiling or screaming like the other girls. She was just there, watching with those kind eyes. It was a strange feeling, as he watched her scan the court. It was almost as though she were trying to memorize all of it, trying to remember all of it.

When the game was over she caught up to him. They had won, of course. She had waited until the group of girls surrounding him had dispersed. Why didn't she just break through the crowd? Maybe he'd need to step it up a bit if he wanted to win this bet.

"Oikawa-san!" she chirped happily. "That was amazing! I've never seen anyone jump so high!"

He smirked. Maybe she was just like all the other fan girls. "Thanks." He said, flashing her his best fake smile.

"I think I've got it." She said, a determined smile on her face.

"What do you mean?"

"You're the setter, right? That's what it's called? You give the tosses to the…spiker? Or the ace, I'm not sure if there's a difference."

He looked at her, somewhat surprised. He nearly smiled genuinely, but quickly shook it away. "Yes, you're right."

"And the one who saves the ball. I don't know his name. He was the one in the back."

At this he did smile. "The libero."

"Yes! Well I'll get there. There's a lot to know."

"You don't have to." He said casually. Most girls didn't take so much interest.

"Well, it's important to you," she looked up at him, "right?"

He blinked, slightly taken aback. Did she care that much about his sport? Why?

"Um. Yeah. But-"

"Then I want to learn." She smiled brightly.

He felt a strange tugging at his chest. What if this girl _actually_ fell in love with him? He couldn't blame her, he was Tooru Oikawa after all. But still, something about it made him feel uneasy.

He tried to push away his guilt-induced thoughts. If she did it was her own fault. She should know someone like him wouldn't ever fall for someone like her.

This girl was too innocent.

* * *

 **A/N: Thanks for the follows! But I'm curious, what do you guys think so far? Like where it's going? Let me know ^_^ Happy reading~**


	4. Chapter 4

It had been raining. Her mother had insisted she bring an umbrella. But she didn't want to because it weighed her bag down. And the sky looked clear enough when she had left home. But now that school was over, it was positively pouring. Why did she stay after class, she thought. The drama club needed help, but she wasn't even a part of that club. She should have left when the sky was still clear…

She stood under the balcony, wondering how fast she could dash across the lot before the rain consumed her entirely. She'd end up soaked no matter what. Maybe if she tossed her jacket over her head…

"Miko-chan!"

She turned around to be greeted by a large smile. Practice must have ended.

"What's wrong? No umbrella?"

She bit her lip. "I was in a rush this morning…"

"I'll walk you home."

Her chest tightened. "Really?"

"I can't have my girlfriend getting sick."

She quite nearly threw up. They had been on one date, and she had been to one of his games. Was that enough to classify her as his girlfriend?

She took her place next to him under the umbrella, and walked silently beside him. The pattering of the rain on the umbrella was the only thing to break the silence.

He bumped into her playfully. "What's wrong?"

"Oh. Nothing. Just…" she looked around, "Are we…official, now?" her heart was beating furiously. They hadn't even kissed yet. The thought only made her heart beat faster. He wouldn't just yet, would he?

"I thought so," he said surprised, "Aren't we?"

She smiled, her eyes shining. He liked when she did that. "Yeah, I guess we are."

They continued in silence, before she decided to speak up again. "T-Tooru?"

He perked up. That was the first time she had called him by his first name. It was a strange sound. It was his name of course, he should be used to hearing it. But something about the way she said it made him want to hear it again. "Yes?"

Her entire face went red. He couldn't help but find it kind of cute.

"Um…can I hold your hand?"

He smiled, taking her hand in his. "Sure." This was good. She was finally opening up.

He gasped as they linked hands, she was absolutely freezing. She blushed furiously. "Sorry. My hands are always cold."

He gave a sly smile. This was the perfect opportunity. Balancing the umbrella in the crook of his arm, he captured both her hands in his, and blew hot air onto them. He grinned, knowing he had her right where he wanted.

She lowered her head quickly. "Your hands are really warm." She laughed nervously.

"Just for you." He said sweetly.

They continued to walk, and he noticed the stupid smile girls tended to carry on their faces. But he could tell she was getting more comfortable with him, bumping into him playfully as they walked. That was good. If she was going to confess her love, she needed to be comfortable.

"Hey," he said suddenly. She looked at him.

"Want to grab some American food?"

"American food?"

"Yeah," he said, casually pointing to the upcoming restaurant, "They make good burgers."

"Oh," she said, "Ok."

* * *

 **A/N: Hi guys :) so I'm playing around with some of your suggestions and stuff. In the meantime, hope you enjoyed the update ^^**


	5. Chapter 5

He ordered for her, since she was unfamiliar with the restaurant, and when the food was brought out, she crinkled her features.

"Is something wrong?"

She looked up at him and then down at her burger. "Oh. Um. It looks good. Just-"

Her face cracked into a grimace, as she pulled out the onions trapped between the slices of bread. "I _hate_ onions."

His eyes were wide as he looked at her. "But onions are in everything."

He swore she was grumbling. "I know." she snapped rather rudely.

He raised his eyebrow at her, finding the outburst a bit out of character. She looked at him and bit her lip. "Sorry. It's just I've had this conversation a million times with like a million different people. I just hate onions. It shouldn't be that hard to understand."

Tooru burst out laughing as he took a bite of his own burger. "Yeesh. So much anger in such a small person. Over something like an onion."

"They're gross!" she justified, and then quickly muttered, "I'm not that small."

He chuckled. "Whatever you say."

After their meal it was still lightly drizzling, so Tooru continued to hold the umbrella. But then he got an idea. "Hey, Miko. You say you're not short right?"

"I'm not!" She retorted quickly, bumping him.

"So hold the umbrella above my head."

She hesitated, but then snatched it out of his hands spitefully. It was a bit of a struggle, since she had to extend her arms over her head to make sure his head didn't hit the umbrella.

For whatever reason, watching her struggle in such a way made him smile. "See? You are short."

"Just because you're freakishly tall…" she mumbled.

"Freakish? Aw, you hurt my feelings." He took the umbrella back, and closed it, since it was only just sprinkling now. The clouds had parted, and peeking through the clearing were bunches of stars.

"They're beautiful." She breathed.

So she had noticed it too, he thought. He looked over at her as she tilted her head was up, looking at the sky, seeming lost.

"It's weird how dizzy you can get, if you look up too much." She whispered. He didn't know why she was whispering, but it made her seem so gentle, just then. And he also didn't know why he was thinking these things, but he thought she looked really pretty like that. Without thinking it over, he stepped up to her, having to lower his head significantly because of their height difference, but his lips met hers easily nonetheless.

She flinched upon the initial contact, but to his surprise, immediately kissed him back. He thought for sure he would have been her first kiss, but from the way she reacted, maybe she wasn't as innocent as he had originally thought. He smiled into her lips, being so bold as to wrap his arms around her waist. And for a brief moment, he forgot about the bet.

It was cold, and she wished she would have brought a warmer jacket, but she was surprised at the sudden heat that overtook her body when Tooru pressed his lips to hers.

She had no idea what she was doing, but she followed his lead and hoped that he wouldn't be able to notice. The only experience she had, after all, was a confused moment back in middle school.

But this was something else entirely. Despite her lack of experience, she could tell Tooru was a good kisser. The thought made her blush.

She felt his tongue start to part her mouth, and she shivered.

Miko didn't really like onions, but she didn't seem to mind the taste, when it came from the lips of Tooru Oikawa.

* * *

 **A/N: Yay updates ^_^ Just a few things to my awesome reviewers:**

 **JJ: I will be adding more of her point of view as the story progresses so stay tuned ;)**

 **Mish: Character development will slowly start to happen, promise :D And oooh him falling first huh...interesting idea...I'll play around with it ;)**

 **Nina: So glad you're liking it :D**

 **Anyways, thanks to everyone for the follows and favorites. Happy reading!**


	6. Chapter 6

"Just, be careful around him, you know?"

"Annie, really, he's nice to me. Promise."

Annie looked at her friend with a wary stare. "I know. But this is Tooru Oikawa we're talking about. We used to make fun of him."

Miko smiled sheepishly. "I know. He's still pretty arrogant," she laughed to herself, "But…I don't know…he's different...with me."

Annie smiled weakly in return. "I'm happy for you, really. But how long are you going to put up with all this?" She pointed to the inside of Miko's locker, which had been filled with trash.

Miko sighed. "I don't know. It'll pass soon enough I guess."

"Maybe that's why he's had so many girlfriends. His fan club drives them all away."

Miko cringed. "Maybe."

"Have you told him about it?"

"No."

"Miko-"

"I don't wanna bother him. He's got enough to worry about."

"If he cares about you then it wouldn't matter." Annie pointed out.

"I don't know…" Miko bit her lip.

"You don't know? He cares about you doesn't he?"

"Of course he does!" she said quickly, "I just mean I don't want him getting involved in all…this."

Annie kicked the trash can over to Miko, so that it stood under her locker. "Well someone's gotta get these girls off your back."

"I don't even know who they are. They'll get bored of it eventually."

"Sure," Annie said sarcastically, " _Eventually."_

Miko looked at her friend sadly. "You really don't like him, do you?"

She shrugged. "I don't know. I'm glad you're happy. Really I am. But this all seems so sketchy don't you think? Him asking you out of the blue…everything's a game to that guy, you know."

"Oh come on. I don't think I'd be a very entertaining game to begin with."

Annie laughed. "Got that right. Ms. Sits In Her Room Writing All Day."

Miko nudged her friend playfully, as the warning bell rang.

"Better hurry."

Miko nodded in agreement, quickly getting rid of as much trash as she could and collecting her backpack.

She was glad she had a good friend like Annie. She knew she was only looking out for her best interest, but having nearly everyone doubt her relationship with Tooru made her feel uneasy. She could stand her own next to him, couldn't she? Was it that hard to believe? She self-consciously stroked her pony-tail, wondering if maybe she should braid it or something. Anything to look a little different, a little better. But she quickly shook the thought from her mind. Tooru liked her the way she was. He had asked her out the way she was. So she'd keep it that way.

Still, the constant pranks from unknown girls was getting a bit tiresome and discouraging. Someone had even thrown her notebook into the fountain. None of her stories had gotten messed up, thank goodness, but they could have been. And that scared her. She bit her lip. Maybe she should tell Tooru. But she didn't want to bother him with something this petty, so early in their relationship.

She rushed down the halls with Annie, trying to make it to class. In their haste, they passed by a large group of girls. Her stomach lurched. She knew Tooru was somewhere in the middle of that crowd.

"Ladies, please, I need to get to class." His voice resonated through the hall.

She had never thought of herself as a jealous person. But as that sharp sting rose up from her chest to her throat, she started to think that maybe…maybe she was.

* * *

 **A/N: Hi guys ^^ Hope you liked the update. So glad you all enjoyed the last chapter! It was fun to write that bit of fluff :3 More to come, hopefully, if Tooru ever gets it together.**

 **Mish: Haha! Happy you liked it. I've got an idea for her passionate writing scene, that chapter will come up soon, so I'm curious to see what you'll think of it. Oh yes her reaction to the bet will be a fun one. Looking forward to what all of you guys will have to say about it ^_^**

 **Anyways, thanks guys for all the follows and favorites and stuff! Keep the reviews coming, they're super encouraging when I get stuck or all jumbled haha. Happy reading!**


	7. Chapter 7

"Iwa."

He turned around, smiling as he saw her. "Talking to me in public. That's a nice change."

"Shut up. Tell me what you know about Tooru."

He pouted. "What do you wanna know about him for?" he mumbled.

She flicked his forehead. " _Baka._ I'm worried about Miko."

Iwa smirked. "Fine. Give me a kiss and I'll tell you."

Annie blushed, her usual tough demeanor cracking. "N-not here you idiot. Someone will see."

He grabbed her by her softball jersey and tugged her into an empty classroom. He sat lazily on one of the desks. "Tooru is dating Miko. That's pretty much all I know." He said.

Annie scrunched up her features. "Yeah, but why? Don't you guys talk about things like that?"

Iwa shrugged. "No one knows when it comes to Tooru. But I'm glad to see it. She's a nice change from his usual type."

Annie cringed. "Well that's why I'm worried. I don't want him to just toss her away when he gets bored."

"He's not such a bad guy."

"Sure he's not."

"Hey come on, you gave me a chance, didn't you?"

She rolled her eyes. "That's not the same. Miko's so quiet."

Iwa jumped off the desk and wrapped his arms around Annie, pressing his lips to hers. She squirmed to get away, "I-Iwa!" He smirked against her mouth, but she pulled away.

"God you're the worst." But she was smiling as she said so.

"Hey. Maybe you can come to the games now."

"What do you mean?"

"You know. Miko's been to one. You could go with her…I wanna see you cheering me on."

Annie rolled her eyes. "Fine."

He pulled her to him again. "And then maybe we can tell people about us?"

She flicked him on the head again. "As if. The whole volleyball team is seen as a group of players. If my girls knew I fell for one-"

He kissed her neck and she froze.

"Would that be so bad?" he breathed.

She hit his chest, "Stop doing things like that."

"No." he smiled against her skin.

Annie sighed. "Anyway, just keep an eye on Tooru. I've got a bad feeling about this."

"I'm sure Miko can take care of herself, Annie." He said, lifting his head to look at her.

Annie shook her head. "You don't know her like I do. She'll be crushed when it doesn't work out."

"Who's to say it won't work out?"

She looked at him doubtfully, and dragged him to the classroom door. She pointed out to the hall. "Look at him. He's right there, in the middle of that giant group of girls. When he has a girlfriend. How much of an ass can you be?"

"He's not all bad, I wouldn't have set them up if I didn't think so."

"You WHAT?"

Iwa's eyes went wide as he realized what he had just said. "N-nothing. It'll be fine. Promise."

"Iwa…"

"It's fine," He pecked her lips, "If it doesn't work out I take full responsibility."

"If it doesn't work out you're getting a softball to the face."

Iwa swallowed awkwardly. He knew Annie wasn't one to hesitate.

* * *

 **A/N: Thank you to 'Guest' for this fantabulous idea. I was going to have them have this talk, but I never thought of putting them together, and when I rewrote it, I fell in love with it! So here we go ^_^**

 **Mish: Haha yeah Annie is pretty sassy I like her too Xp But OMG yes I would cry too! I was like hmm what would be the worst thing ever...definitely a ruined story. Anywhos, glad you liked it hehe.**

 **Nina: Woo that makes me happy :3 And yes fluff! I love it so much. There will be more so fear not haha.**

 **All you guys are awesome by the way! Your reviews are so nice and they give me so many new ideas! I've got the next few chapters practically written, so updates will continue to happen every 2-3 days :D Thanks so much for reading!**


	8. Chapter 8

Tooru needed help in English. He didn't want to admit it, and he didn't, but Miko noticed him struggling and offered to help.

"I'm fine." He said.

"You sure?"

He was going to push her away, but he figured it would be a good way for him to get closer to her. He really needed to. Three weeks and not even an inkling of a confession. It would be February soon. Maybe he wasn't trying hard enough. "Well, ok, if you're offering."

"Ok. My house after school?"

"I prefer my house," he said coolly, "My parents won't be home."

A soft blush appeared on her cheeks. "Well, I don't see how that'd matter…"

He smirked.

He needed to pick up the pace if he was going to win. And with his parents not home…it provided the perfect opportunity.

On the walk home she kept talking. And talking. Sheesh. She could be a handful sometimes. He'd be glad to be rid of her.

"English isn't so bad," she began, once they were at his house, "It's sort of my favorite." She admitted.

 _Of course it is,_ he thought.

She read over his notes and corrected his work. He was sort of embarrassed, since he didn't want her to think he was stupid.

"It's not my best subject…"

"It's no problem. I like being able to help you."

She said it so genuinely, it sort of made his heart skip a beat. And it confused him. But he couldn't start feeling things for this girl now. That would ruin everything. So he pushed the thought away, almost laughing at himself. Him, falling for Miko? Like that would ever happen.

"I don't get it. This sentence looks fine."

She looked over his shoulder. "Oh, you need a comma. It completely changes the meaning of the sentence."

"Really?" he looked at her curiously.

"Yes!" she was super excited, he almost laughed, "Languages are so intricate that way. Especially English, because the order of the words is super important, and if you put the commas in different places then anything from the tone to the style can change and sometimes even the actual meaning of the sentence!" she bit her lip, unable to hold back, "I've actually tried writing a few things in English…it's hard but it's just so fascinating…I don't know…" she blushed when she noticed how intently he was looking at her, "Maybe I'm just weird." She summed up quickly.

Without thinking he leaned across the floor and caught her lips with his own. He didn't know what had triggered the sudden impulse. It's not like he cared about her writing, it was a boring thing if you asked him, but she looked so passionate when she explained it, he couldn't help himself.

She stood frozen, hardly returning his motions. He pulled away, worried maybe he'd pushed her too far. But he smiled when he found her blushing furiously. She really was too cute when she did that.

"Aw, come on. We've kissed before."

She looked away, twirling her fingers. "I know…you just caught me off guard."

For whatever reason, when she said that, he started to get all nervous. Like maybe he hadn't done the right thing. But that was ridiculous. He'd never been nervous in front of a girl before. It was…strange. Not to mention stupid. He shook those irritating thoughts away.

"Can we…" she hesitated, "Um, can we try again?"

His eyes widened before he chuckled lightheartedly, his confidence returning. He'd win this bet after all. He leaned into her, wrapping his hand around her neck and pulling her in for another kiss.


	9. Chapter 9

As he leaned into her, she fell against her backpack, a few of her books spilling out of the opened bag.

"Oh." She blushed, quickly trying to pick up the books, "Sorry, I thought I had closed it."

He reached over to help her, sitting up and picking up a tattered notebook. It looked like it had been left out in the rain or something. He opened it carelessly, skimming through it, but nearly gasped when he saw every single page covered from top to bottom in her loopy handwriting.

"Don't worry about that," she lunged for her notebook, trying to take it back, but he held it above her easily, reading through the words.

"Did you write all this?"

She bit her lip, standing up to try and take it out of his hands. "Um, yes."

He cocked an eyebrow and looked at her. "Is this my name right here?"

Her face went red and she snatched it away. "Most of it is story ideas. Sometimes I jot down random things that happened during the day…"

But he had managed to read the sentence before she grabbed it.

 _Tooru asked me on a date. Why would he like me?_

He doesn't, he answered to himself. It was because of a bet. He could picture her twisted little face of confusion if he in fact told her that. It made him cringe.

He sat cross-legged, rocking back and forth with his hands on his knees. "How come it has water damage?"

"Oh," she waved her hand, laughing nervously, "I dropped it in a puddle the other day."

He looked at her, but didn't say anything. She wasn't the best liar. And even if she was, it would have seemed like an unlikely story. From what he had seen, this was important to her. She wouldn't have been so careless. He didn't give it much thought though. It's not like he really cared to begin with. Or, at least, that's what he told himself.

"You're sort of the first person to read through it." She admitted.

He didn't find that very surprising. "Well I didn't really read anything. But you sure do write a lot, from the looks of it."

She got this weird look on her face and looked down. "Yeah, maybe too much." She laughed but it sounded off. Disappointed, maybe?

He cleared his throat. "Are you trying to say you'll let me read it?"

Her head shot up, a light blush still present on her cheeks. "No…most of it isn't very good."

Tooru inwardly groaned. What did she want, then? Girls really were annoying. But he knew how to get around most anything. He fell back against the floor, resting his head in his hands and closing his eyes. "Well, when you're ready, I'd be happy to read it."

He opened one eye lazily to see her reaction. She was smiling like an idiot. It made him smirk.

"Ok." She agreed, moving back to the table and scribbling something into the tattered notebook.

"Hey." He called.

"Yeah?" she looked over at him.

"Thanks for helping me in English."

She smiled. "You're welcome."

* * *

 **A/N: Two chapters for the price of one! Haha surprise Xp**

 **Mish: For sure, I actually was writing that little bit last night and I think it's sorta cute :3 Also, trust me, enjoy the fluffy light stuff while you can, because when the angst hits its gonna hit hard haha.**

 **Guest: Agreed I think a jealous Tooru will be quite fun to write ^_^**

 **Nina: Yay fluff ^^**

 **Thanks guys, glad you like the Annie/Iwa pairing. More of those two to come :)**


	10. Chapter 10

"You…cheated…" Annie said in between pants, her hands on her knees.

"You're just a slowpoke."

Her head shot up. "I am not! You always start before we say 'go'!"

Iwa smirked. "Maybe."

She pushed him. "God why am I with you?"

He chuckled, "Because you love me."

"I hate you." She laughed, nudging his chest again. She inhaled deeply, trying to steady her rapidly beating heart. As she looked from the tree where they had begun their race, to the gate where they were now, she couldn't help but feel nostalgic. "Hey…" she said slowly. He looked at her, lowering his water bottle.

"Do you remember when we met?"

He blinked a few times. "Not really." He continued to drink his water.

She scoffed. "Well me neither."

Iwa smiled. She really made it too easy for him. But maybe after all this time, he just knew which buttons to push.

"You hit me that day too." He said.

Her eyes widened. "Yeah…I did."

…

 _"Oy."_

 _Eight year old Iwa looked up from his desk to find a girl with black hair and even blacker eyes staring at him. "Yeah?"_

 _"You're fast right? I wanna race you." She clung to her book._

 _He blinked at the girl. He didn't even know who she was. She was in his class but they had never talked until now. He pressed his lips together. "I don't race girls. They're slow."_

 _She furrowed her brow. He expected her to cry or call him mean or something. But she stuck out her book and hit him flatly on the head. "Not all girls are the same." She said._

 _"Ow, geez, what was that for?" he rubbed his head. It throbbed slightly from the hit._

 _She bit her lip and held the book behind her back. "Sorry. My mom says I have a bad temper. I didn't hurt you did I?"_

 _He quickly dropped his hand from his head. "Of course not. Girls don't hit hard."_

 _She got that same look on her face and he noticed her start to raise the book again._

 _"Ok, ok! I'll race you."_

 _Her lips broke into a grin. "Awesome! Afterschool?"_

 _"Whatever." He grumbled._

…

"I beat you that day."

"Because you cheated back then too." she snapped.

He laughed, throwing his arms around her shoulders. Somehow they had become best friends. And somewhere along the way, he had realized he wanted her by his side. If it were up to him, their relationship wouldn't be a secret. But it was what she wanted, so he'd do it. He didn't fully understand her reasoning, but he didn't really understand girls to begin with, so he tried to let it go.

But the truth was they barely got to see each other as is. With his volleyball and her softball, they were both kept pretty busy. So on days like these, when it was just them, racing like they were still little kids…he was happy.

Annie couldn't help but smile when she looked at Iwa. He had a pretty goofy smile, the idiot. But it made her heart throb; not that she'd tell anyone of course.

Iwa had always had bad timing. And when he had finally asked her out, in an awkward spewage of emotions, it had been right after she had given a speech to her softball team about how independent she was and how she didn't plan on getting a boyfriend. So the first word she breathed out in reply to his confession was 'goddamnit', which won her quite the confused and angry response. When she thought back to it, it sort of made her laugh. Either way though, she was glad it finally happened.

She'd been waiting nearly eight years, after all.

* * *

 **A/N: So watcha think? Cute? I'm falling in love with their relationship lol!**

 **Mish: Omg now I have to feverishly work to make sure the angst is angsty enough *sweats***


	11. Chapter 11

Tooru was rushing down the halls; coach would kill him for being late again. He dashed down the stairs, but stopped short upon hearing Miko's voice. She sounded tense. He hid behind a wall, sneaking a peak. Some girl was with her.

"Like I said, I don't particularly care about you or anything. But it won't end well if you keep this up." the girl snarled.

Tooru burned with curiosity as he stayed behind the wall.

"Thanks, Mia, but I can take care of myself."

The girl named Mia cackled. It made him feel uneasy.

"You honestly think he likes you? Look at you. You can't be serious."

His stomach lurched. That was a…nasty sort of comment. Miko was plain but she wasn't…

"He does," Miko replied easily, "And I like him."

"Open your eyes, ok? I'm trying to help you. He probably is just using you because he needs help with his work or something. You think just by spreading your legs-"

"Not all of us need to revert to such tactics to keep a boyfriend. Some of us function on merit."

Tooru's eyes widened. He didn't know Miko had such a strong character. He thought for sure she'd start crying. But she wasn't backing down.

"You haven't slept with him yet?"

Tooru cringed. This girl was crude.

Miko stayed silent.

"That's even worse!" Mia laughed again, "Oh god. Look. Back out now, before you get broken. How naïve are you?"

Tooru was about to step in, but was stopped when he heard the strength behind Miko's voice.

"I like him. And he likes me. And if you think so low of him to say he'd toy around with someone like that then maybe you're the one who doesn't know him."

 _That's my girl,_ he thought, but stopped himself short. _My girl?_ She wasn't…not really.

Mia scoffed. "You can't be serious."

"No matter how often I get tripped in the hallway, and no matter how many times these girls decide to put random shit in my locker…nothing will change that. I'll stand by him."

His stomach lurched again. Three things surprised him. One, he didn't know she was capable of cussing. Two, he had no idea she was being tormented. How long had that been going on for? He thought back to her tattered notebook. Is that what had happened? Why didn't she say anything?

Third…

 _I'll stand by him._

The fervor in her voice shook him. He didn't know why his chest felt so tight. Why had he asked her out again? His heart pounded.

What was wrong with him? He needed to get to practice. So Miko was having some issues. So what? Why did he care? She'd be rid of them as soon as the two months were over. His mind fuzzed. There was no need for him to be worried.

But that was exactly the problem, he thought.

He was worried.

* * *

 **A/N: Do...do you hear that? I think...I think Tooru's cold heart is beating :0 lol.**

 **Mish: Yes Annie is awesome! I wanna be like her bahaha. Omg you and Mandalorian with your angst. I will try my absolute hardest to make you guys cry in frustration XD I feel you on the character's inner feelings. I'll see what I can do. Hard to make that stuff flow naturally sometimes.**


	12. Chapter 12

When Tooru jumped into practice, coach was yelling at him and Iwa was shooting him daggers. It didn't help the already uneasy feeling that had consumed him. Something about that Mia girl was familiar. He was almost sure he'd seen her before. But why was she being so mean to Miko?

He shook his head, focusing on the game. This was ridiculous. None of that mattered.

He watched the ball fly over the net, over to a few teammates, and finally to him. He got his hands ready, pushing the ball up and into the air. But he didn't throw it up nearly high enough.

His tosses continued to fall short, or in some cases, were overly exaggerated, and he could hear his coach muttering under his breath.

 _What's wrong with me?_

He couldn't stop thinking about the conversation he'd overheard.

 _She doesn't matter,_ he thought angrily.

Finally he was rotated into the back and his confidence returned. Because if there was one thing he was good at, it was serving. He tossed the ball up, trying to clear Miko from his mind, and hit it hard, filling it with all of his frustration and anger. Tooru watched as it flew high and fast…right into the net.

He stood mortified, not blinking, his mouth agape.

"Tooru. Get off the court."

"But coach-"

The coach held up his hand silently, and Tooru was forced to comply.

A towel tossed over his head, he stared at the ground as he sat on the bench.

Never.

Never had he lost focus like that. Especially over someone as unimportant as Miko.

Oh he'd dump her alright. He'd make her fall deep into love and then leave her coldly for what she was doing to him.

His fingers dug into his knees. What was happening to him? He was practically shaking.

Her small and genuine smile flashed through his mind; her sweet and quiet voice. _You can do it, Tooru._

He tossed his water bottle on the ground. He tried to take deep breaths but really he just wanted to punch something.

Who the hell was that Mia girl? And why was she being so goddamn mean to Miko? Like hell he'd let that happen. Fake girlfriend or not, she was his, and he wasn't about to let that happen. He was Tooru freaking Oikawa for god sakes. If someone wanted to mess with his woman they'd have to go through him first.

His stomach lurched. This was getting out of hand. Maybe he'd just call it all off and do Iwa's cleanup duty and that'd be the end of it. Who cared at this point? If he decided to forfeit then it wouldn't really be losing.

…

Miko tried to stop shaking but it was impossible. Acting confident was super easy. Actually _being_ confident was a whole different story.

 _You haven't slept with him yet?_

Was she supposed to? Is that how people did things these days? Was he expecting that of her? Had he…done that…before…

She could have thrown up. She wasn't cut out for this. For a few moments she contemplated leaving him. He deserved someone better than her. Someone who was confident and knew how to put on makeup and was more outgoing. Someone that complimented his boisterous personality better. She giggled at herself for thinking of the word _boisterous_.

She mentally slapped herself. _Serious thoughts, Miko._

But it was all so hopeless. What _did_ he see in her anyway?

She clenched her fists. No. He didn't need any reason. He liked her because he did and that was that. Screw Mia and anyone else who thought otherwise.

She let out a weary sigh. But if things really did continue on like this, then maybe being with Tooru was more trouble than it was worth.

She gasped. Had she really just thought that? That was an awful thing to think. She chastised herself. It couldn't be easy for him either. Girls were constantly hounding him. And he must have a lot of stress, being the volleyball captain of a high ranking school. She sighed, reaffirming her thoughts.

She'd stand by him, no matter what.

* * *

 **A/N: I have three final papers due on Friday so naturally I decided to do this instead! Lol, happy update day everybody.**

 **Mish: Lol I think he's a good guy but he likes to act like he's not, if that makes any sense at all.**

 **SoulXHunter: Hello there! So glad you're liking it so far :D And I'm happy you like Miko ^^ she does have quite a few different sides to her doesn't she? Oikawa is Oikawa, but I think that's why we all love him lol.**


	13. Chapter 13

The next morning Tooru was surrounded by girls again. He didn't realize how much it truly bothered him until now. Didn't all these people have better things to do?

"Tooru, how do you keep your hair so nice?"

"Tooru, you should come to the fundraiser for the dance team!"

He ground his teeth. "Ladies. Enough. I'm afraid I can't talk to any of you anymore."

There were bursts of outcries. "What? Why?"

"Someone has been doing nasty things to my girlfriend. Since I don't know who it was I have to refuse association with all of you."

"But that's not fair! It wasn't any of us!"

He shrugged carelessly. "Then I hope you guys can help me stop whoever it was. Because I can't stand the disgusting excuse of a person who would do something to my girlfriend."

"Why is he even with her?" he heard one of the girls grumble.

Damn these people were annoying.

"Oy," he snapped sharply, "I like her. Nothing else to it." He tried to push his way out of the crowd, but they were all whining and moaning about how much they'd miss him. He exhaled slowly. He'd have to turn up his charm or they'd never leave him alone. He put on his best dramatic sigh. "She means so much to me," he pouted, his hand on his chest, "I can't be happy when she's not happy. I don't understand why anyone would hurt me in such a cruel way."

"Tooru…" they all cooed, trying to comfort him, offering up words of encouragement, insisting they'd get the pranksters to stop. He smirked and thanked the girls, making his way to class.

…

Miko opened her locker and was surprised to see that there was nothing in it. Could they finally have stopped? Did Mia have something to do with it? She sighed warily. She knew Tooru wasn't the way Mia had described but…it still hurt that people were making assumptions. She looked around hesitantly, wondering if maybe something might burst in her face. But nothing did. She pulled her books out carefully, still not fully believing that her locker was mess-free.

"No trash today?"

She yelped, jumping and closing her locker reflexively. She was met with Tooru, who was smiling handsomely at her.

"Tooru!" she exclaimed, "Hi!"

He looked down at her, cocking his head to the side. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Um, I don't know what you mean." She tried weakly, tucking some hair behind her ear.

"Miko…"

"It was nothing." she shrugged, waving the topic away with her hand. But then her expression darkened slightly, as she looked back up at him. He must have fixed it. For her. Her heart raced at the thought. He really _did_ like her. "Did you…I mean…" she bit her lip, "Thank you."

He wanted to tell her something. Like about how they wouldn't bother her anymore because he took care of it. And if they did she should just let him know.

He felt like maybe he should have. But that was stupid. There was nothing more that needed to be said anyway. He shook his head, weakly trying to remind himself that this was all still because of a bet. And since she was supposed to confess her love, he couldn't have her feeling uneasy. That's why he'd helped her. Yeah. That was all there was to it.

"Don't mention it." He cleared his throat.

She smiled cutely and looked away, shifting awkwardly.

He inhaled deeply. "So I'll see you." He moved away. He didn't know what was wrong with him, but he just knew he needed to not be near her for a bit.

He had to clear his head.

* * *

 **A/N: Only one essay left and then I'm free for the holidays o.o Fingers crossed I get it done! XD And then it'll be fanfiction for dayssss.**

 **Mish: Lol ok good ^^ Tooru in denial is actually lots of fun to write. And thanks :D**

 **SoulXHunter: Hahaha "Miss Bitch" omg you made me smile, thank you. Yeah she's definitely the absolute worst. I felt bad for Miko in that part.**

 **Nina: eek thank you ^^ I know they're so cute! I just wanna fill this story with fluff until everyone throws up but that won't do lolol.**


	14. Chapter 14

Annie always seemed to be talking about Iwa. Miko didn't _know_ know him, but he seemed like a nice enough guy. He was Tooru's best friend after all, and Annie's childhood friend, so she was sure he was a wonderful person. Only lately, he was all Annie seemed able to talk about. She wondered if maybe…

Annie was always going off about how she didn't need anyone, and she could do things on her own. But Miko wasn't so sure of that. Especially now, since she was seeing less of her. It was only natural, with Annie's softball, and with Miko always being around Tooru. She smiled at the thought of him. Things were going so well now. The teasing had stopped, thanks greatly to him, and she hadn't had anything else put in her locker. Tooru had even started walking her to class every now and again. He was being really caring now. Not that he hadn't been before, but it was all the more obvious as the days moved on. She got the feeling that maybe Tooru Oikawa was actually just a shy sort of guy. But if he was finally coming out of his shell then she was glad for it. And because of all this, she wanted the same thing for Annie. She knew if she could just get her to stop being so stubborn, then she'd realize that her and Iwa were a good match.

Her decision made, she hung around after school that day, waiting for the boys to finish their practice. She stayed near the changing room, wondering if maybe this was a bad idea. She shook her head to reaffirm herself. No, this would be great.

When Iwa saw Miko standing outside the changing room, he couldn't help but feel sort of awkward, though he wasn't sure why. "Oh hey," he said, "Tooru will be out soon. That guy takes forever-"

"Actually," she peeped, "I wanted to talk to you."

Iwa's heart pounded. What did she need to talk to him for? Could it be that she had figured out—

"I was wondering if maybe you wanted to have lunch this weekend, with Annie and I? Oh, and Tooru too of course."

He blinked. He thought for sure she was going to confront him about the bet. But it seemed as though she was still oblivious about it. Lunch with Annie? He couldn't say no to that. His stomach lurched as he cleared his throat. "Like a double date?"

Miko laughed nervously. "Um, sure? Why not! It can be fun." She grinned widely.

Iwa's eyes narrowed. Had Annie told Miko about them? No, that didn't make sense. If she had then Annie would have just asked him herself. So that means Miko was probably trying to set them up…

Iwa scoffed, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips. It was sort of an amusing thing. Here Miko was, looking to set up two people that were already dating. Not that she knew that, of course. But she was a smart girl. Considerate too. Not to mention she was trying to do the same thing he was doing for his friend.

Damn.

He couldn't let Tooru mess this up. Miko was too good of a person.

"Sure," he told her, "I'll let Tooru know."

Her face lit up, and she nodded excitedly. "Great! I'll tell Annie!" She scurried off without another word, leaving Iwa feeling sort of warm on the inside.

* * *

 **A/N: Finals are doooone *happy dance***

 **SoulXHunter: A very suitable name indeed haha. Um, she probably won't be playing any major roles, but she might be mentioned in passing from here on out. Not quite sure yet. Thank you so much :D Enjoy the update ^^**

 **Nina: Got it done, and passed two of my essays so far :D anxiously awaiting the results for the other two *bites nails* lol anyways, thank you, as always.**

 **Happy reading guys :D**


	15. Chapter 15

Iwa greatly approved of Miko. She was a gentle thing. Why she liked Tooru was a complete mystery to him, but she was exactly the type of change his friend needed. It was why he'd suggested the bet, after all. Well…that, and…he knew it would bring him closer to Annie. But Tooru had a tendency to…ruin…things.

"Oy, Tooru." Iwa caught up to his friend.

"What's up?"

Iwa rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. "Um, well, when this is all over…no matter who wins, you'll let her down easy, right?"

Tooru's eyes narrowed. "Of course I will you idiot. I'm not that cold hearted." He shoved his hands in his pockets, "What do you care anyway?"

Iwa scoffed. "I don't. She's just good friends with Annie and all."

"That name sounds familiar."

Iwa's expression became hard. "Annie. She's my—Miko's best friend."

"If you say so."

Iwa grunted, pushing Tooru's chest, "Listen, baka. Think of someone other than yourself for a change."

Tooru pushed him right back. "Where the hell is all this coming from? I know what I'm doing. You're the one who suggested the bet in the first place."

"I know that!" he snapped, "Just…Are you even going to break up with her?"

Tooru hesitated. "Obviously."

"I thought maybe you were starting to like her."

"She's nice. Would make a good friend maybe."

"But not a girlfriend?"

Tooru scoffed. "Not my type. Like I said."

"You kiss her yet?"

"What's with your questions?"

"Just wondering."

"Well I have." He snapped.

"And?"

Tooru's eyes narrowed. "And what?"

"And how was it?"

Tooru scoffed, tossing his head so his hair would be out of his face. "Exactly what you'd expect out of someone like her."

Iwa's eyes narrowed. Oikawa was holding something back, he could tell. Well, that was fine. So long as Tooru didn't let his thick head get in the way of what was clearly a perfect match. He inwardly groaned. He wanted to think that this would all go smoothly, but he got a feeling the end of this bet wouldn't come without resembling a train wreck.

They walked in silence for a bit, and Tooru could feel himself bubbling with anger, though he wasn't sure why. "Why do you even care?"

Iwa looked at him warily, "I don't."

Tooru stared at the ground. He couldn't quite put his finger on exactly what had him so irritated. How was he supposed to break up with Miko after this was all over?

He'd broken up with girls lots of times. But that had always been...different.

 _Hey Miko, you were just a bet, and the time limit expired so, thanks but bye._

He cringed. That wouldn't work. He had to figure this out soon. Especially with only a month left. What the hell was wrong with Iwa anyway? He didn't seem like one to bother with it all. Especially about Miko since he didn't know her. What was it he had said about...Annie, was it? That name sounded familiar. He'd definitely mentioned it before.

 _Are you even going to break up with her?_

Was he? Maybe he'd hold onto Miko for a bit. She was nice company. And she wasn't anywhere near as needy as most of his other girlfriends had been. She put up with his schedule and even seemed to go out of her way to adjust to it. She was a sweet girl that way.

But that was because she didn't have any time commitments of her own. All she ever did was homework. And write in that little notebook of hers. She really was a rather plain person.

His stomach lurched. No. She wasn't. She was incredibly interesting. She always had new things to talk about, and she had even taken it on herself to learn about volleyball for him. No matter how he played it out, he couldn't see himself breaking it off. He wasn't sure if he still wanted to.

No, no. That was stupid. Of course he'd break it off.

"Oh that's right." Iwa said suddenly, pulling him from his thoughts.

Tooru turned to face him.

"Miko wanted to have lunch, the four of us."

"Four?"

"You, me, Annie and Miko."

Tooru found that a bit strange, but was too tired to question it right now. He shrugged. "Sure. Whatever."

* * *

 **A/N: You guys are all so nice! Reading your reviews really just gives me the happy feels :3 And thank you all for the happy finals wishes!**

 **SoulXHunter: Hope this chapter cleared it up a bit. They will be attending a match in the near future, and they will be playing none other than...hm, well, I guess you guys can guess, right? hehe ^^**

 **Carrie: Aww thank you so so much! And also thank you about the papers! You're so sweet :D Hope you liked this next update ^^ I hate waiting too, so I try to update asap for you guys :D**

 **Guys I'm so excited for the next chapters! Happy reading!**


	16. Chapter 16

Annie groaned. "How did this even happen?"

Miko smiled brightly. "Come on! It'll be fun!" She tugged her friend along, meeting up with the two boys.

"Never been on a double date before." Tooru said, just as the girls strode up.

"It's not a date." Annie growled.

Iwa glared at her. "It wouldn't be that weird if it was."

Annie shifted uncomfortably. She didn't want Iwa to pull anything weird. They had been doing so well up until now, and she just wanted things to stay the way they were.

"Well let's go, I'm starving!" Miko said, taking Tooru's hand and dragging him into the restaurant, leaving Iwa and Annie behind.

"Oy, shorty, slow down."

Annie turned to Iwa. "No funny business, you hear me?" she warned.

He held his hands up. "I'm just going to lunch with some friends."

She looked at him doubtfully, but made her way into the restaurant.

The group took their seats, with the girls on one side and the boys on the other.

Annie was sweating, biting her lip and nervously glancing at the menu. Iwa almost always ordered for her, ever since they were kids, but she didn't want him to today. She didn't want Tooru and Miko to suspect anything.

"Miko, look at number 8." Tooru smiled wryly, pointing to his menu. Miko flipped through and her eyes landed on the number eight special: onion rings.

"Ha, ha. You're so funny."

Tooru chuckled.

Annie whined. "I hate restaurants. I never know what to get."

"Get the soup." Iwa suggested.

She made a face. "Soup is so lame."

He rolled his eyes.

Miko bit her lip. She got the feeling that Iwa sort of liked Annie, so she wanted to do something to set them up. And since Iwa and Tooru were friends, and she and Annie were friends, she thought it would be perfect. But so far they seemed really tense around each other. She didn't know why, since they were supposed to be childhood friends.

A pretty waitress came up to take their order, and Annie's eyes desperately glided through the menu, trying to make a decision.

"Um," she bit her lip, "Sorry, just a sec…"

Iwa sighed, "She'll have the number three."

Annie closed her menu in defeat. "That sounds great, thanks." she muttered.

The waitress smiled and wrote down the rest of the orders. Iwa handed her the menus and she thanked him. "You're quite welcome." He said charmingly.

Once she was a good distance away, Annie kicked him under the table.

"Ow!"

"Oy, don't be staring at other women when you have two right in front of you."

He rubbed his knee. "Didn't have to kick me, geez."

Tooru glanced worriedly at Miko, and Miko cringed, silently apologizing for Annie's headstrongness.

The rest of the lunch didn't go much smoother. They ate anxiously, and Annie kept giving Iwa these weird glances. Miko wasn't sure what to make of it.

"This isn't a date right?" Iwa said suddenly. The entire table fell silent. Tooru quickly took a big bite of his food.

"No." Annie replied easily.

"Cool." Iwa got this weird look on his face as he stood up and went over to the cashier, where the pretty waitress was standing. Annie and Miko watched as he started a conversation, and pretty soon the girl was laughing. Tooru continued to shove food into his mouth. Miko looked warily over at Annie, who was angrily taking sips of her soda. Tooru cleared his throat, trying to smooth the tension. "Iwa's just a nice guy." He said awkwardly.

"Sure looks that way." Annie replied wryly.


	17. Chapter 17

Iwa knew he'd be in hot water for this. But he wanted to see how far he could push her before she finally admitted that this was a date. Only, as he made his way back to the table, he could practically feel the daggers she was shooting at him. Oh he'd be in trouble for sure. He waved it off with a smirk.

"If it's not a date then don't be jealous."

She ground her teeth. "As if."

He scoffed. "Wow."

"Hey you know what?" Annie said, "Stop ordering for me. You pick the worst things."

"If I didn't we'd be here for three years."

"I was about to pick something."

"You weren't and we both know it."

Miko looked at Tooru, and he reflected her expression of worry back to her.

"You just think you're better than everyone don't you?"

Iwa stood up, his hands on the table, his chair scraping the ground behind him. "You're pissing me off, Annie."

"Me?" She stood up herself, mirroring his stance, "You always just do what you want. You never think-"

For whatever reason he got really angry. He reached over the table, grabbing the front of her shirt roughly and pulling her to him. Without a moment's hesitation, he kissed her. Miko and Tooru watched in shock.

Annie pushed him away, her face completely red as she sank down the table, burying her head in her arms. "Goddamnit Iwaizumi."

He huffed, sitting back down. "We've been dating for a while now," Iwa explained, "She just didn't wanna tell anyone."

Annie groaned. "This is so embarrassing."

"A-Annie?" Miko tried.

Tooru fist-bumped his friend.

Annie's head shot up and she threw her napkin at him. "Dammnit you jerk! You can't just go around kissing me whenever you feel like it!"

"Why not?"

"Because…" her eyes darted across the table, her voice trailing off.

Miko hugged her friend. "I'm so happy for you."

Annie shook her off. "Give me a break. It's just Iwa."

"Ouch."

Tooru laughed.

"Hey," Annie snapped, glaring at her boyfriend, "You talk to another girl like that and I'll break your fingers."

Iwa chuckled. "Aw come here. You said you weren't jealous."

She crossed her arms and grumbled, angrily sipping soda once again. Miko giggled.

On the walk home, Tooru and Miko fell behind the odd couple, as they continued to poke at each other, saying moderately offensive things and trying to one-up the other person.

"I think that's how they show affection." Tooru said in a low whisper.

Miko let out a hushed laugh. "I think so."

He bent down suddenly, kissing her cheek. Miko's eyes widened as she looked up at him. "What was that for?" She didn't mind of course, but he generally didn't do things so out of the blue.

"That's how I show affection." Tooru smirked, wrapping his arm around his girlfriend.

Color rose to Miko's cheeks, as she returned her boyfriend's embrace.

* * *

 **A/N: Two chapters! Happy early Christmas lol. I love Annie's sass so much omg.**

 **SoulxHunter: I know right Miko is a sweetheart ^^ And its so much fun to watch Tooru stress and struggle with the reality of it all that he doesn't want to admit . Thank you, thank you and thank you! I really appreciate you taking the time to comment! Makes my day :3**

 **Happy reading everyone!**


	18. Chapter 18

Oikawa was sort of a happy guy. He was captain of a high ranking volleyball team, he was extremely good looking, and most importantly, he knew what he was going to do about Miko.

"Why are you so far away?" he pouted.

"Huh?"

He grabbed her arm and pulled her onto his lap, nuzzling his face into her neck. She giggled furiously, "Tooru! Let me go!"

He nipped at her neck, "No."

She squirmed, trying to wriggle free. He laughed into her skin. "I'm stronger than you, shorty."

"I'm _not_ short." She affirmed, huffing, "At least let me have my book."

He held her in place as he reached across the floor to pick up her book. He handed it to her. "Will you read it to me?"

She bit her lip, "I could…but…it's in English."

He leaned back against the wall in his room, letting her rest against his chest. "I don't mind. I just like the sound of your voice."

He wasn't lying. Lately he found himself liking everything about Miko. And she smelled really nice too. It's why he wanted her so close. It was a comforting sort of thing. Of course, this is not to say that he had forgotten the bet. He fully intended on winning. It had been nearly a month now (they were already in February) but he was sure she would say she loved him soon. The best part about all this was, he had realized that there was absolutely no harm with him having fun in the meantime. Besides, the more he kissed and held her, the more effective he'd be in winning her over, right? Then, once she confessed, he would just say things were moving too fast. No hurt feelings there. It was a perfectly natural and convincing scapegoat.

Not to mention that this way, he could still be friends with her afterwards. He was quite looking forward to it, since she was sort of a really cool person. She was different from his other friends, and a much needed little spark of unique-ness, so she'd be great to have as an acquaintance. He was quite confident that they'd be able to remain friends after their breakup. And maybe, if they both felt like it, they could sneak a few kisses every now and again. He wouldn't mind that at all. So, life was good for Tooru Oikawa. And right now, if Miko wanted to read to him…well, he wouldn't complain.

He noticed her blushing down at her book, so he kissed her cheek to redden them even more.

"I like the sound of your voice too." She confessed.

"Really?"

She nodded, turning to look at him. "And when we're close like this," she smiled, placing her hand on his chest, "I can feel it vibrating through your chest." She quickly pulled her hand away, as though she had just realized what she said, and buried her face in the crook of his neck. "Sorry. That probably sounded weird."

He laughed, holding her. "Is it vibrating now?"

She nodded silently.

For whatever reason he smiled. "You're so cute, Mi-ko-chan." He sang out her name.

She groaned, revealing her embarrassment. He rubbed her arm, encouraging her slightly. "Come on. You gonna read to me or what?"

She slowly raised her head and opened the book to the marked page. "It's _Alice in Wonderland_." She explained.

He nodded, and motioned for her to continue. She inhaled deeply, and began. He closed his eyes, listening to the sound of her voice. Not paying any particular attention to the words, but just the way her voice flowed up and down, accenting at certain parts of a sentence.

She leaned in closer to him, relaxing in his arms and he opened his eyes. Her hair was still in a ponytail, but sort of messed up since she was pressed against him. Her eyes were shining, darting across the page. Her pretty lips were parting in just the right way, trying to get the correct pronunciation. He couldn't help but smile.

"You're beautiful."

She was cut mid-sentence. "T-Tooru?"

"Hey," he said, cupping her cheek, "Kiss me."

He smiled as her face flushed, and he pulled her to him. He would probably miss this for a bit, until he got a new girlfriend of course. But for right now, he enjoyed her kisses. She had soft lips after all. And after all this they'd still be friends, so it'd all work out fine.

Yeah, he thought, smiling to himself, they'd make good friends.

* * *

 **A/N: So much denialllllll. Haha I kinda wanna whack him across the face with a frying pan, but maybe you guys are rubbing off on me Xp I hope I'm not boring you all with the fluff! I just love it so much :3 So as a thank you for putting up with my fluffiness, I shall give you a sneak peak to the next chapter ^^**

 ** _He didn't return the smile though, his lips pressed together. "You're fraternizing with the enemy." He said seriously._**

 ** _She giggled. "It's just Koshi! We knew each other back in middle school..."_**

 **Are you excited? Be excited! I'm having so much fun writing this stuff. Hold on to your hats people, the bet's deadline is quickly approaching!**

 **SoulXHunter: Same! He's kind of a cheeky thing, isn't he? I like his boldness though ^^ Omg yasss the fist bump is like my favorite part hehe again sorry for the cute overload but I'm glad you guys like it :3**

 **Oh yeah, one more thing. I know I know, Author-chan you talk to much shut up already-but! For any other Kei fans (love him so much) I wrote a oneshot titled "Homecoming" if you want to check that out ^_^**

 **Happy reading and happy holidays!**


	19. Chapter 19

Koshi looked around, but Aoba Johsai was so big he had no idea where he was going. He caught sight of a girl who was wearing the school's logo on her shirt and so he called out to her, tapping her on the shoulder. "Excuse me, I'm looking for the—Miko-chan!"

Miko, turned around, her lips breaking into a wide grin. "Koshi!" she embraced her old friend, "What are you doing here! I haven't seen you in forever!"

"I'm looking for the gym, actually," he showed off his jacket, "Volleyball game."

Her eyes widened. "You still play?"

"Of course!" he grinned proudly, "Only," he rubbed the back of his neck, "I had to finish some work, so I couldn't ride the bus with the rest of the team…and I have no idea where I'm going."

Miko laughed. "Sure, follow me. I'm heading there anyway."

"Thank you!" he said, falling into step behind her. "So how have you been?"

"Oh, same old, same old. School and writing." She giggled.

"You still write?" he asked. She nodded.

"You should come in with me," he said, heading up the stairs to the gym, "Asahi will be happy to see you."

Her eyes widened. "He's here too?"

Koshi smiled tenderly.

"Miko!" Tooru called from the other side of the courtyard. She looked to him and then back to Koshi.

"Oh, sorry," she told him, "I'll meet you inside, ok? But we should grab dinner or something. Maybe after the game?"

He smiled at her, nodding, "Definitely."

She rushed back down the stairs to meet Tooru, and greeted him cheerfully.

He didn't return the smile though, his lips pressed together. "You're fraternizing with the enemy." He said seriously.

She giggled. "It's just Koshi! We knew each other back in middle school. And Ashahi is here too! I didn't know he ended up at Karasuno. I thought it'd be fun if we all go to dinner together after the game!" She smiled brightly at him.

Tooru didn't know why that unsettled him so much. But he didn't like it. He also didn't like the fact that she was using Sugawara's first name. Or the fact that he had mentioned the ace. It was enough to make him clench his jaw.

He brusquely tossed his jacket over her shoulders. "You'll wear it, won't you?" he huffed, "It's tradition, for the girlfriends to wear their guy's numbers…" he mumbled somewhat angrily. Her cheeks warmed up but she smiled widely at him, slinking her arms into it. "Of course!" It hung loosely around her small frame, nearly swallowing her up.

Damn if that wasn't the cutest thing he'd ever seen.

"So, you'll come to dinner with us, right?"

That ruined his mood again. "I don't know…I don't really want you having dinner with those guys…"

She looked at him curiously, "You'd be there too. I know they're the rival school but they're good friends. Promise."

"That's not the problem…" he mumbled.

What _was_ the problem then? And what was this awful feeling? He didn't want her with a bunch of random guys. A bunch of Karasuno guys. Tobio would probably be there too...

She took his hand. The familiar cold still managed to shock him. "Tooru? Are you ok?"

Was he seriously blushing? What the hell was this?

"I just think it'll be awkward if they join us…since they're going to lose…" he wasn't sure what to say.

She smiled. "Ok," she gave in, "Some other time then." She stood on her tippy toes and he lowered his head so that she could kiss his cheek.

He flinched. He hadn't even thought twice. He just lowered his head out of habit.

"Good luck!" she chirped, making her way into the gym.

What was happening to him?

* * *

 **A/N: *hums playfully* Someone stop me, I'm having too much fun writing these next chapters. Anyone else love Asahi? *sighs* There's too many good looking guys in this anime, I swear.**

 **SoulXHunter: I know o.o such an idiot! I'm like cringing as I write. Maybe I'm getting too into my own story XD He's so conceited! Thinking that she'll seriously want ANYTHING to do with him after they break up. ughhhhh. But anyways. *ahem* yes. So very happy you enjoyed the last chapter hehe ^^ If there's one thing I'm good at, it's fluff overload. But we're entering angst territory...so we'll see how that goes lol!**

 **So Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to you all ^_^ Happy reading!**


	20. Chapter 20

Miko walked up to the front of the gym, catching sight of Annie and Iwa. They had a great spot- practically on the court- so they could see everything easily. No sooner had she taken her seat next to Annie, when an orange haired boy ran up to her excitedly.

"You must be the Great Queen!"

Her eyes widened and she stammered. "E-Excuse me?"

"You're the Great King's girlfriend aren't you?" he pointed at her jacket, "You're wearing his number. That makes you the Great Queen."

Annie and Iwa laughed.

Just then Tooru walked up to them, mangling the boy's hair. "Stop terrorizing my woman, little shrimp."

Miko began to laugh. Did this short boy play volleyball? "You're a player?" she asked.

"Of course!" he snapped proudly, putting a hand to his chest, "I'm Shoyo," he said sticking out his hand, "Middle blocker!"

Miko cocked her head as she shook his hand. He was just about as tall as her. And he was a middle blocker? Shoyo noticed her doubt, and was about to open his mouth to defend himself, but she beat him to it. "You must have one hell of a jump."

The boy's eyes lit up. "Yes! That's right! I'm not very tall, but when I'm on the court, I fly!"

She beamed at the boy. Tooru smiled at her. "She's a perceptive girl."

"Hey, do you play volleyball? I could teach you!" Shoyo said excitedly.

At that, Tooru bonked him on the head. "Leave her alone, would you?" he said, dragging him by the ear onto the court. "Let's go Iwa. Ciao, Miko. Cheer for me." He called back, winking.

"Can't win if you don't cheer." Iwa grinned.

"Then you're not a very good player!" Annie shouted at him, laughing.

Miko waved sheepishly to Tooru, color rushing to her cheeks.

"I didn't think Tooru was the jealous type." Annie murmured, once the boys were out of ear shot.

"Huh?"

Just then, Koshi walked up to her, accompanied by Asahi. "Told you she was here." Koshi smiled warmly. "I've got to warm up with Kageyama. But we'll catch up later, ok Miko?"

She nodded and turned her attention to Asahi. He cleared his throat, rubbing the back of his neck with his hand. "Tooru, huh? Wasn't expecting that."

She blushed. "Neither was I, to be honest." She tried to laugh.

"So Suga-san was telling me about dinner. You still like Italian?"

She nodded. "Definitely! Only, I think I'll have to take a raincheck on that. I know it was my suggestion but Tooru-"

Asahi held his hand up and shook his head, "It's ok. If you were my girl I wouldn't really want you eating with the opposing team either. Not that you are my girl or anything! I'm just saying…" He continued to spit out words in an awkward and tangled mess.

Miko giggled before smiling at him. Asahi was always such a nervous wreck for being such a big guy. "Next time, for sure." She told him.

As Tooru began to warm up he kept Miko in the corner of his eye. He tossed the ball up in the air, watching it spin to the sound of her laughter. His blood burned through his veins. Why was she talking to Karasuno's ace? And he was standing so close to her. As though he knew her. Tooru watched as the ace motioned with his hands, and Miko continued to smile happily, showing him that cheery smile of hers. Asahi extended his arms, and she walked right into them, embracing him briefly before he pulled away, running to warm up on the court. She hugged him so...easily.

He noticed her face was red. She was blushing. Tooru clenched his teeth. Why was she blushing after embracing another guy? What were they talking about anyway, that she was smiling so much? Tooru didn't know why it bothered him so much, but it did. She had hugged Asahi as though it were nothing. Wasn't she supposed to be all shy and quiet and innocent? He smacked the ball, letting it hit the floor with more force than could have been deemed normal. If that's how the ace wanted to play, then Tooru would just have to win.

* * *

 **A/N: So the next two chapters will be quite fun ^^ (at least I hope you guys think so!) There will be more Annie and Iwa also, for those of you who like them hehe :3 I know I said it before but I love Asahi so much. He's like a scruffy teddy bear but he's really just full of fluff on the inside.**

 **SoulXHunter: Hahaha he's worse than a teenage girl XD He really needs to pull it together soon. Although at this rate he wouldn't know his true feelings if they smacked him across the face lolol.**

 **Guest: Haha thank you so much! Glad you're enjoying it. Indeed, Tooru is quite amusing when he's jealous.**


	21. Chapter 21

Iwa could practically feel the seething anger that was exuding from Tooru. He sighed under his breath. That was irritating. He didn't know what the guy was so angry about, but it'd definitely throw him off his game. And this was one they definitely needed to win. It was the first time Annie was watching him play, and he wanted it to be a good game. The ball flew over the net, and hit the floor. Point to Karasuno.

"Shit." He heard Oikawa mutter under his breath. Iwa quickly glanced at the other side of the court. Who had just scored? The big one…the ace, he didn't know his name. Was there something going on between him and Tooru?

"Captain." He called. Tooru's head shot up.

"Focus."

Tooru's face hardened and he spun the ball in his hands, nodding. The gym grew silent as Aoba Johsai prepared for their serve. Iwa took his stance, keeping a close eye on the first year duo. They were definitely the wild card.

"Let's go Iwa!"

He flinched on hearing her voice, but bit back a smile as he shook his head. _Crazy woman,_ he thought to himself. Screaming at the absolute quietest moment. But, it was exactly what he loved about her _._

Tooru couldn't stand the fact that Asahi had actually scored. But fine. He wasn't going to let it happen again. He knew he was supposed to be focusing on the game, but he couldn't stop staring at the ace. What was so great about him? He was a big guy, sure. He looked like he could already be in college. Were Miko and that guy really friends?

Tooru smacked the ball, and it flew over the net, only to be caught by the libero. Damn that guy was good. Short, but good. The ball was then passed to Tobio, and Asahi jumped, hitting the ball with surprising strength. Like hell Tooru was gonna let that guy make another point. But at that moment, his instincts took over. From the way the ball was angled, he could tell it'd be a safer bet to not try and catch it. He thought quickly, and side stepped, the ball whirling past his face and hitting the edge of the court: out of bounds.

"Tooru! Nice call!" Her voice was enough to make him look up. She was smiling at him, with a completely different smile than he had seen her give to Asahi. It was a smile just for him. She was clapping and cheering with the rest of the crowd, but for whatever reason he only saw her. His heartbeat quickened just then, and he shook his head, the whistle bringing him back to the game. But he had a newfound energy, and with that, he smiled.

He'd win this game, and then she'd cheer again.

 _Hear that, ace? She's cheering for **me.**_

It was one of his better tasting victories, when Aoba Johsai finally won. Tooru couldn't stop grinning. Miko and Annie had jumped up from their seats, and it had been a great thing to watch.

He was, in a word, happy.

So when he came out of the changing room, only to find Asahi exchanging contacts with his girlfriend…

Well. It quickly ruined his mood once again.

…

"Iwa!" Annie jumped on him from behind, nearly making him tumble to the ground.

"Yeesh woman!"

"Congratulations!" She hugged him tightly, pressing her cheek to his.

He tried to shake her off but she wouldn't let go.

"Let's go celebrate or something! I'm hungry!" she kissed his cheek.

"Ok, fine, just get off me."

Annie grinned, holding him all the tighter, and nuzzling his face. "Why? You embarrassed?"

"Of course not!" he snapped.

"Yeah you are! Your face is red!" She burst out laughing.

Iwa grumbled, and wrapped his arm around her waist, so that he could kiss her squarely on the lips. Annie's laughter was cut off, and her face quickly colored to match his face's red hue. He smirked. "Are _you_ embarrassed?"

She pushed him away, "Oh, shut up Iwa."

* * *

 **A/N: Hehe ^^ I love Tooru. The next chapter you guys omgomg I don't wanna spoil anything but omg :3**

 **SoulXHunter: Your comments really make me laugh so hard I love it XD It's so great that we all hate Tooru so much but at the same time we can't help but love him haha! Asahi is so sweet! Maybe I'll just write all these boys stories because I'm really just in love with all of them *sigh* But yes! We'll see what happens with his jealousy in a bit...**

 **As always, thank you guys for reading and for all your lovely comments! Happy reading ^^**


	22. Chapter 22

Tooru walked with a happy Miko linked around his arm. They were in a nearby park, because Miko said she wanted to see the stars. But Tooru wasn't exactly in the best mood. He didn't know why it bothered him so much, but his irritation had reached an all-time high. It shouldn't have bothered him to begin with. This had escalated beyond the parameters of the bet he'd agreed to so long ago. But none of that seemed to matter anymore.

"It was such an exciting game!" she skipped along, pulling him with her, "Shoyo and that other boy! I'd never seen such a freak fast quick!" She was bubbling, but as she looked at him, her expression became sullen. "Tooru, what's wrong? You've been weird since before the game."

"What were you and the ace talking about?"

"Asahi?" she questioned. As she said his name it just seemed to piss him off all the more. He looked at her, and didn't say anything.

"Oh, well, him, Koshi and I were really good friends back in middle school. I haven't seen him in years. It was good to catch up." She smiled innocently.

"Is that all?"

She crinkled her features. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"You hugged him. I bet you hugged the setter too, didn't you?"

"Koshi?"

"Tch."

Miko was starting to feel a certain warmth throughout her body. Maybe Annie was right and Tooru was a little jealous. Of course, she probably should have told him that she and Asahi had only exchanged information so that they could set up a double date later on…but…Miko was rather enjoying her boyfriend's cute reaction.

"Tooru." She held his hand and stopped walking. She was biting her lip to contain her smile, but she was doing an awful job of hiding it.

"Tooru…are you jealous?" She was looking at him with such wide eyes. Why did she look so hopeful?

"How conceited are you?" he snapped sharply.

She dropped hold of his hand and her expression faded, her face looking like she had gotten the wind knocked out of her. His stomach lurched. He didn't want her to look like that, but for some reason he couldn't contain his anger. "It looks bad if the Captain's girlfriend is being all friendly with the opposing team. Were you not thinking of me at all?"

She cleared her throat. "They were just old friends, Tooru. It was nice to see them. What was I supposed to do? Ignore them?"

"Am I jealous. What's wrong with you?" He scoffed, as though he hadn't heard her at all.

"Ok," she said quietly, "I get it." He noticed the broken expression she now carried on her face and his chest tightened painfully.

Now she was sad. And it was all because of that stupid ace. He yanked her arm angrily, tossing her against a nearby tree. She groaned as her back hit the bark. He pinned her in place, his hands above her head as he looked down at her. She panted rapidly, her eyes scanning his face. "Tooru, you're scaring me."

He continued to grind his teeth, looking at her, trying to find words. She looked so scared. He didn't want her to be.

She inhaled. "Ok. I'm sorry. What do you want me to say? I won't talk to the opposing team anymore. But they were my friends. It's not exactly for you to decide."

He lowered his forehead to hers, exhaling shakily. She held her breath, wondering what he would do. Maybe now would be a good time to tell him…

"I didn't like it...when he hugged you..." He murmured.

Her heart practically leapt out of her chest.

"Tooru…"

He pressed his lips against hers roughly; possessively. Her heart was pounding, and even though his kiss was rough, she let him do it. She couldn't help but smile against his lips. She knew she was a jealous person; it was sort of hard _not_ to be, considering Tooru was constantly being hounded down by groups of girls, but she didn't think he'd ever be jealous of anyone. It made her heart skip a few beats. She wrapped her arms around his neck, deepening their kiss. He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her up against his chest. Despite her efforts, a small moan escaped her delicate lips.

This time he was the one who smiled into their kiss, and he pulled away briefly. "I'm the only one who's ever heard that sound, aren't I?" he breathed huskily.

She blushed deeply, and he smirked.

He squeezed her encouragingly, "Tell me. I wanna hear it."

"You're the only one," she looked down, "Tooru."

He kissed her happily again, lifting her up so that she matched his height, her feet dangling off the ground. "Tooru!" she squealed.

He laughed into their kiss, spinning his girlfriend around before placing her safely back on the ground.

 _I love you._

His heart stopped. He almost said it out loud. He had thought it so easily. Almost _said_ it so easily. He blinked a few times, shaking his head. Had he really just…

"Now you know how I feel." She said quietly.

"Huh?"

She bit her lip. "You know…your fan club and everything…"

His heart pounded. Did she mean she was jealous too? Why did that make want to smile? His mind fuzzed. "Sorry about earlier." He said, clearing his throat.

She smiled, taking hold of his hand. "It's ok."

For a reason Tooru couldn't quite put his finger on, he felt…happy.

So...

Maybe he wouldn't win the bet. But that didn't seem like such a big deal anymore, if it meant he got to stay with Miko. Even if he did win, he'd still have Miko. And that was something Tooru Oikawa didn't mind at all.

* * *

 **A/N: So I'll just leave this here haha. Happy New Years everybody ^^**

 **SoulXHunter: Aren't they the cutest? I lurbs them :3 Haha Tooru is the definition of a hot mess. Like he's even the right amount of fabulous for it XD ugh this guy...this guy is gonna kill me. He really is. Poor thing doesn't even realize how far into it he already is lol. Jealous Tooru makes my heart happy though hehe.**

 **Meh: I do hope you at least gave it a chance past the first chapter ;) Thanks for reviewing!**


	23. Chapter 23

She was so worried. She knew you were supposed to give your significant other chocolates on Valentine's Day, but she just couldn't make it work. Every batch she tried came out so bitter, and she couldn't understand why. She couldn't very well buy him chocolates; it just felt like such a cheap thing to do. She wanted to make something for him. To pour a little bit of herself into her baking, and come out with the most delicious chocolate Tooru had ever tasted. But that simply wasn't happening.

"Just make cookies." Her mother suggested.

She slumped down the kitchen cabinet. That felt like such a lame thing sort of thing. Tooru would be getting gifts and candies from almost every girl at school. She just wanted to be able to give him something really special. And now, the one thing she had to do just wasn't working out at all. So her only option was to be a total loser and make her boyfriend cookies instead. Cookies. Something that can be given any time of the year. She sighed.

The next morning as she was pulling her hair up into a ponytail, she stopped halfway. Maybe she should let it down for once. He had never seen her with her hair down, after all. And since she had failed so miserably at her chocolates maybe she could do something special about her appearance. She dropped her hair, letting it drape over her shoulders. She smiled weakly at herself, wrapping her scarf around her neck. Her heart pounded. Hopefully he'd like the cookies.

The train was late and so she was rushing down the halls when she arrived, trying to find Tooru before she had to get to class. Finally, she caught sight of him in the crowd, due mostly to his impressive height. Thank goodness for that.

"Tooru!" she called out to him, waving her arm. He stopped and turned around, locking eyes with her. She smiled widely and ran up to him, holding up the little baggie of sweets. He stared at her, and even after all this time, his look was something that made her hopelessly nervous.

"Um, well I know it's supposed to be chocolates and-" she stopped, noticing the plethora of gifts that were already popping out of his bag, "Wow you already have so many…" she shook her head, regaining her focus, "And well I tried to make chocolates. Really I did, but it just came out so bad…I guess I'm not a very skilled cook but," she held up the neatly packaged bag to him, "I'm good at cookies! So…I figured…" he wouldn't stop staring at her and her heart was pounding hard. Was he this upset? "Tooru?" her heart sank, despite her best efforts to remain cheery, "I'm sorry…I know it's supposed to be chocolate-"

"You look really pretty with your hair down."

"Huh?" she had forgotten all about that, her hands subconsciously going to her loose locks. "Oh."

He shook his head, blinking, as though he had been lost in a trance. "You made these?" he said smiling, taking the bag from her.

She nodded, "Yeah, but you don't have to eat them or anyth-"

He immediately popped one into his mouth, commenting on how good it was. She smiled. "I'm glad you like them."

"Thank god. I was getting sick of chocolates. I have enough to last me two years."

She giggled weakly.

"Hey, how about you help me eat them after school? My parents will be out celebrating their anniversary."

"Ok." She beamed.

He bent down to kiss her cheek and whispered 'Happy Valentine's Day' before pulling away.

Miko felt her heart flutter.

* * *

 **A/N: Fair warning guys, there is very little fluff left before crap hits the fan, so enjoy it :3 My reviews aren't popping up even though I've been getting notifications, and its frustrating. Anyone else having this problem? Anyway, I'll just respond here.**

 **InLuvWithCandy: Haha yes luckily I'm pretty good about updating on this story. I wish I could apply it to all my others Xp Yeah...I don't want to give anything away, but I will join you in wishing Tooru and Miko well hehe.**

 **Chocogirl24: Glad you liked it :D**

 **LaughterLover98: Hahaha! Oh my gosh thank you, I love your comments so much ^^ Hope you enjoyed the update! I love possessive kisses :3**

 **SoulXHunter: He is the definition of the worst but its about damn time he realized what was going on XD Something tells me he's still hopelessly lost though lolol. And you won't have to wonder much longer, btw ;) Chaos is right. It shall be interesting.**

 **caros24084u: Haha! Love it XD I hope you have regained your ability to 'can'! Thank you so much :)**

 **curlystruggle: Lol couldn't have said it better myself. I love the feels :3**

 **Mandalorian1207: Nuuuu come back to me I love you XD It'll work out I promise, but I can't jump that far ahead or it wouldn't be Trashykawa! You know he's too dense to make it come full circle like that Xp Hope you enjoyed the update though ;)**

 **Ok, I think that's everyone, if I missed anybody I'm so sorry! I hope they fix this review thing soon. So Happy New Year to you all and happy reading!**


	24. Chapter 24

Iwa walked silently next to Annie on the way home. He had received a few small trinkets from some random girls, but nothing from her.

"And I know it's sorta mean but she was just annoying me so much, every time I pitched I aimed right for her face!" she laughed, not bothering to hold back, "she met it with a swing every time though. Damn girl is good. Just wish she wouldn't talk so much."

"Annie." He said suddenly, stopping.

"Yeah?" she turned to look at him.

"Do you know what day it is today?" his heart pounded furiously.

She blinked at him. "Hm? Isn't it Friday?"

With her words his heart sank just a bit. Of course she wouldn't remember. He rubbed the back of his neck nervously, "Yeah," he said, "But it's also Valentine's Day."

She quickly looked away, clutching her bag tightly. "I know."

He blinked at her, unsure of what she meant. She looked up at him, her cheeks a little pink before her face got angry. "Well goddamnit Iwa you know I can't cook!"

"I didn't say anything!"

"You didn't have to. It's all over your mopey face."

"All I did was ask if you knew what today was!"

She swung her bag at him.

"Ow, jeez!"

"Open it." She said glumly, her arms crossed and her head turned away. Iwa looked from her to the bag and carefully tugged at the zipper. Inside was a prettily adorned box with pink and purple ribbon. Attached was a small card with his name printed in her surprisingly neat handwriting.

"I bought it." Annie said, looking at the ground, her arms still crossed, "It's probably not as good as what the other girls made…this is really just more Miko's thing anyway. What even is Valentines? Stupid holiday…"

Iwa smiled and pulled out the box, looking at his girlfriend, who was still intent on looking at the ground. He lifted her chin so that she was forced to look at him. "You really are an idiot."

Her eyes widened in anger, "I am no-"

Without wasting a breath, his lips landed on hers. She squirmed trying to get away. "Geez will you always do that?"

He chuckled. "Happy Valentine's Day, Annie."

"Yeah, yeah."

…

Miko sat in her boyfriend's room, popping chocolates into her mouth. "These girls sure know how to make good chocolate. I should ask them for pointers." She laughed at herself.

Tooru scoffed, taking a bite of his own, "That's all they're really good for."

She giggled, reaching for another chocolate. They were all wrapped so intricately. And many of them had little notes attached. Almost all of them confessing their love to him. Her stomach lurched. How could these girls say something like that so easily? She bit her lip, wondering if maybe she should be brave.

She hadn't wanted to say anything before, but ever since that day she had spent reading to him, she knew she loved him. It had to be. She hadn't ever felt so much emotion towards one person. Ever since realizing it though, the knowledge of the fact only made her all the more nervous around him. But it was Valentine's day after all…there wouldn't be a better time than now to tell him. She crawled over to his side of the table and kissed him sweetly on the lips.

She could tell he was surprised, since she generally wasn't the one initiating their kisses. But he kissed her back nonetheless.

"Tooru." She breathed.

He looked at her curiously, cocking his head to the side. "What is it?"

Oh boy. Her nerves were rattling now. She pressed her forehead against his, closing her eyes. It would be easier to say if she didn't have to look at him. "I don't know how or why someone quiet and weird like me caught your attention, but I'm so glad you asked me out that day."

He pecked her lips. "I am too."

"And," she inhaled, opening her eyes and pulling back from his slightly, "And I think," she cleared her throat awkwardly, managing a forced laugh, "Um," she inhaled deeply again, "I think I love-"

He pressed his lips quickly against hers, holding her tighter than she'd ever felt him do before. "I know what you're gonna say," he breathed, stealing a few more kisses, "So don't say it."

He kissed her roughly, almost bruising her, and her heart clenched in her chest. She definitely shouldn't have said anything at all. "I'm sorry," she choked, "I didn't mean to freak you out-"

"No. I'm glad." He kissed her cheek, leaving a trail down her neck, "So, so glad."

She trembled under his hold, dazed with confusion. If he really was glad then why not let her say it? He kissed her again and she managed to return it weakly.

"Hey," he pecked her nose, "I'm the guy right? I'm supposed to say it first."

She let out a small sigh of relief, hugging him back tightly. Of course Tooru would take something like this as a competition. She smiled to herself.

"Ok," she said, giggling and nuzzling his neck, "I'll let you have that one."

He pulled her into another kiss, cupping her cheeks in his hands. "Good."

* * *

 **A/N: They fixed the review issue! Woop ^^ OMG you guys, you have me so excited for these next chapters. I can't wait.**

 **SoulXHunter: Hehe agreed. Gah I'm glad you like fluff as much as I do :3 Miko's pretty strong, and she's got Annie too, but still...it will be interesting to see that series of events unfold. Of course, it doesn't help that Tooru is completely incompetent at times...all the time...**

 **Mello: Oh my god you really gave me the biggest smile on my face! Thank you so much! Hope you enjoyed the update ^^**


	25. Chapter 25

Oikawa wanted to do something nice for Miko. He was going to say it, and it had to be perfect. Which is why he was in this particular store, searching for the best new notebook he could find. But it couldn't be just any notebook. It had to be sturdy, and contain enough pages to keep up with her infinite ideas. He had noticed she was running out of room in her old one, and with all that water damage, it just wouldn't do. His girlfriend deserved better than the tattered one she had now. He knew she probably wouldn't want anything too flashy, so he finally decided on a plain leather bound one. It was smooth enough to where she could bend it if she so wished. With his new purchase in hand, he made his way over to Iwa's house. There were a few things he needed to talk to him about.

…

That Monday, he was completely ready. Everything was planned out accordingly. They'd walk home together, where they would enjoy ramen and then his mother's cheesecake for dessert. He'd give her her present and then tell her...tell her how he felt. He was nervous, but the excitement of it all seemed to overpower everything else.

Tooru watched as Miko slurped up some noodles, the broth splashing over her face. She giggled, excusing herself and wiping her lips with a napkin.

"You're so cute, Shorty."

She laughed some more, "Oh hush. I'm just hungry."

"So hungry you didn't notice the onions I added to your bowl?"

Her eyes widened and her jaw dropped. "You what?"

"Kidding!" he burst out laughing, "Oh god your face."

"Hey!" she nudged him playfully, "That's not funny!"

"Is it?" he kissed her cheek, some stray laughs still leaving his throat. "I think it is."

She shook her head, "Oh, Tooru."

He wrapped his arm around her, and then nuzzled her face, "You know, I'm glad Iwa suggested this whole bet thing."

She kissed his cheek, "What bet?"

"Well," he kissed her back, "We made a bet that you'd say you loved me."

She giggled and shook her head, "Really? That's quite the confidence you've got, considering we hadn't talked before our first date."

"Well no," he clarified, "That's why I asked you out in the first place."

Miko's smile dropped. "What?"

"Yeah," he kissed her cheek, "But I'm glad it happened."

Miko's heart began to pound. He had only asked her because of a bet? No, no that couldn't be possible. She knew how he felt about her. Besides, Iwa would never do something like that. She scrunched up her features. "Ok, Tooru. The onion thing was funny but this isn't."

He shot her a confused look. "What do you mean?"

It felt like someone was squeezing her chest. He couldn't really mean…

"T-Tooru?" her voice shook.

"What is it?"

"You only asked me out because of a bet?"

Tooru swallowed awkwardly. He had thought that this would be something they could laugh over, as a blessing in disguise sort of thing. But now he was getting the feeling he probably shouldn't have mentioned it at all.

"Um…sort of…" he rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly.

Miko's heart was going so fast it started to scare her. "So…is this you…" Was this his way of breaking up with her? "Are we over now then? Because I said it, didn't I?"

He shook his head, "What? No, it's not like that at all!"

"Then what is it like?" her voice trembled.

Tooru cleared his throat. "Um. Well. Look, just forget it. We're together now-"

"Are we?" she looked up at him doubtfully. She didn't want to, but the tears lined her eyes just the same. What was he saying? Why would he tell her something like this?

"Of course we are!"

She squeezed her hands in her lap, looking down at them. Suddenly, she really wanted to be alone. Tooru reached over and put his large hands over her small ones. "I meant everything I said." He looked at her seriously.

Miko felt her heart plunge. Did he mean it? Was he acting? How would she ever know? To fake it for so long…was every kiss torment for him? He hadn't ever actually noticed her, had he?

 _You've always caught my eye, you know._

Her chest twisted painfully.

"You couldn't have meant everything." She said quietly.

"Huh?"

"You had to have lied in the beginning. We didn't know each other after all…"

He cleared his throat again. "Well none of that matters anymore. Come on, we still have dessert-"

"No, it does matter." She looked up at him. She wasn't yelling or anything, but Tooru found her calm voice rather terrifying.

"I think," she exhaled shakily, "It'd be better if we didn't see each other for a bit. Thank you for the meal, Oikawa-san."

 _Oikawa-san?_ No. No, no, no. Why was she calling him that?

"Oy, Miko," he grabbed her arm, "Don't do this."

She shrugged him off, "Don't do what? You already won the bet so you don't need me anymore right?"

"That's not what I meant. I wouldn't have told you if-"

She laughed incredulously, "How long were you planning to pretend then? What are you even…" What was he playing at?

 _Everything's a game to that guy, you know._

Why did he have to pick her? She had never bothered anyone. He could have gotten a million other girls that would have said it a lot more willingly. How could someone be that cruel?

"I never did anything to you!" Quickly grabbing her bag, she rushed out of the room without saying anything else. It all happened a bit too fast for Tooru to follow after her. She hadn't ever yelled at him like that. In all reality, he was just too shocked to move.

What had he done?

* * *

 **A/N: Tooru, child, why do you not know how to life? Ew angst and sadness. Wah I want my fluff back. Hope you people are happy.**

 **SoulXHunter: I LOVE YOU SO MUCH FOR LOVING THE CHAPTER LOLOL. Oh yikes, don't get me started, I don't even begin until next week and I'm already dying. I know the feel, but stay strong! You got this ;) Baha I love Annie and Iwa. OTP right there Xp but oh no I hope you're ok! Read it on the ground so you can't get hurt! hehehe.**

 **Mello: Aw I hope you're feeling better! Everyone seems to be getting sick. I'm glad I could help a bit though hehe ^^**

 **Guest: Mmm no probably not. I don't think it'd fit in with this particular storyline. But yay thank you! I'm happy your fangirl is happy :D**

 **Well, everyone, we have reached the fan. Good luck trying to get out. Happy reading~**


	26. Chapter 26

Miko was shaking as she ran. She couldn't believe she had managed to hold in her tears. She had done a good job right? She hadn't even raised her voice all that much. She wouldn't explode. She wouldn't let herself be a drama queen. But…

The tears started; she was unable to hold them in any more. They fell down her face in long, languid streaks. He had _lied._ About everything. She crossed her arms. No…none of this made sense. It was impossible. He had said so many genuine things. When he hugged her she could feel…

 _You're beautiful._

She broke into sobs. She was such an idiot. Everyone had told her to be careful. Everyone had said that he wasn't serious about anything. But to go through all this for a bet? No…there had to be something more.

When she made it to her house she quickly ran up to her room, successfully avoiding her mother. She flopped onto the bed. There had to be some sort of explanation. She hadn't let him explain. She was sure there was something else. He had even been jealous. People weren't jealous for no reason.

 _How conceited are you?_

Her stomach tumbled. That had been his initial reaction. It wasn't until after that he grudgingly told her he didn't like Asahi hugging her. But…

She started to cry again. Everything hurt. Nothing made sense. She was sobbing, and it was embarrassing. It felt like someone had used her body as a punching bag. Her stomach felt weird. Maybe she'd throw up.

Suddenly, she got really mad. What the _fuck_ was Tooru's problem? This whole thing was freaking ridiculous! If he wanted to win a stupid goddamn bet he could've chosen LITERALLY anyone. Or, if it had to be her, he could have just said it straight up. Like, 'hey, my friends made a bet, just play along ok?' She would have been completely ok with that! There was no need to start this whole mess of lies. Her eyes narrowed as she squeezed her pillow. If she were writing she'd call him a spider. Spinning his disgusting web of deceit and lies.

She choked on her tears. He had probably been making fun of her all this time. Her stupid confessions, her lame hobbies that he probably found really, really lame. She groaned, rolling over on her bed. She must have sounded like such a _joke_ to him. With her notebook full of empty words that she'd never let anyone read and…

Her bottom lip quivered. He had been her first real kiss. He had…

She was about to start crying all over again, when her phone buzzed. Her heart stopped. Wanting it to be him, but at the same time not, she couldn't bring herself to look at her phone. The screen lit up.

ONE NEW MESSAGE

She took deep breaths and tried to ignore it. Once again, she tried to find the logic of what exactly was happening. Iwa would never place a bet like that. He just wasn't that type of person. And Annie definitely wouldn't be dating him if he was. She knew him better than anyone, after all. There had to be some sort of missing piece that Miko wasn't able to put her finger on.

She glanced at her phone. The notification light wouldn't stop blinking. She bit her lip, trembling with curiosity but also trying her absolute hardest to not care. Quickly, without taking the time to mull it over anymore, she opened her phone.

 **I can explain.**

Miko quickly closed her phone and tossed it away. If this were a movie it'd be a misunderstanding. If it were a movie he would have chased after her, taken her in his arms and then kissed her, begging her to never leave his side and that'd he'd explain everything. But this was real life.

She jumped as her phone began to buzz from across the room. A phone call? Really? Like hell she was going to answer it. But the phone didn't stop buzzing. She blinked, drying her eyes and picking it up. Though she didn't answer, her stomach still lurched upon seeing his name on her notification screen.

Maybe she'd just cry some more and lazily drag her feet to grab ice cream from the fridge. Yeah. That'd be good.

Except there was a sudden pounding at her window. She jumped up, sliding her curtains away.

"Please let me in."

* * *

 **A/N: Ughhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.**

 **Mello: hehe good, glad you're enjoying yourself because I'm over here bawling.**

 **Guest: Haha yes yes, the drama has finally arrived!**

 **tallandhandsome: Hi! Don't you dare apologize, silent readers are supportive just the same! But hehe thank you ^^ everyone seems to love the drama!**

 **SoulXHunter: bahaha *pats back* it'll be ok. We all knew Tooru was a complete idiot, the poor thing. Maybe he can beg for forgiveness?**


	27. Chapter 27

She opened the window in a rush, pulling him into the room to keep him from falling. Maybe she should have let him hang there, but her instincts took over. She wanted to be calm and passive, but she couldn't help but panic. He was heavy, but she managed to get him into her room.

His breathing was heavy as he murmured a thank you.

She wondered how he had managed that. There was a small tree outside, but even then he would have had to jump to grab hold of the small railing…and then to knock on the window with one hand…what the hell kind of insane upper body strength was that?

"How'd you reach the window?"

He blinked, looking up at her, trying to even out his breathing. "I've got a high jump."

She scoffed, trying to look away. Oh, of course. She had forgotten how 'perfect' Tooru was. Climbing into a second story window was nothing, right? He was Jesus-kun, after all. Everything he did was just soooo wonderful. They both sat across from each other on her floor. Miko tried not to look at him, but found it impossible.

"My mom will kill you if she finds you in here." She tried to say carelessly.

Tooru couldn't bear to look at her. Her eyes were a bit puffy, and he knew she had been crying.

"There was a bet," he said quickly, still out of breath, "But it wasn't about that. None of that was fake. Nothing I did was fake."

"It had to have been, in the beginning." She said smartly.

He swallowed awkwardly. "Um, well-"

"You had never noticed me before that, had you?"

He cleared his throat. "No."

"What were you betting on?"

He cringed. "Cleanup duty…but Miko-"

"Please get out Tooru."

"No wait," he lunged for her and she backed away. It was such a weird thing. She had never backed away from him before.

"Ok in the beginning maybe I was sort of faking. But every kiss was real. Everything I told you after that first kiss was true. Miko-"

His voice was like poison in her ears. How was she supposed to know fact from fiction? What if there was a second part to the bet he hadn't completed yet and that's why he was holding on so desperately? Part of her wanted to burst into sobs again. All this for cleanup duty? Is that the kind of person he was? Even if he was being completely honest, that didn't change the fact that he had still agreed to the bet in the first place. So, in the end, he was just…

"Don't you get that it doesn't matter?" her voice was soft, and she was staring at her fingers in her lap.

"What?"

She looked at him, "What kind of a guy is willing to break a girl's heart over something like that? I don't want to be with someone like you." Her voice cracked.

He could practically feel his heart shattering.

 _I don't want to be with someone like you._

"Miko no," he crawled up to her cupping her face in his hands. She tried to break away but he didn't let her. "No, no don't say that. I'm not the same. Even you have to admit that."

Tears slipped down from her eyes and onto his thumbs. He wiped them away, but when he extended his neck to kiss her she pulled away, pushing him off of her. His stomach lurched. "Miko-"

"What did I ever do to you?" she whimpered. She had balled up, bringing her knees to her chest.

"Nothing. Miko it's not like that-"

"Get out, Tooru."

"You're not even going to let me explain?"

Explain? Was she not letting him? She had, hadn't she? His words were just empty now, though. What could he say that would make her feel better? Nothing. He had used her. And maybe she was feeling just a tad bitter, but she had every right to be. She had endured bullying for him, she had stood up for him, she had been everything she thought a proper girlfriend should be. She did her best not to complain about his practices, or interfere with his love of volleyball. And she did it all because she loved…

She lifted her head as though it were weighing her down. "What's there to explain?" she mumbled, "I'm just the girl who reads quietly by herself. It was my own fault thinking you'd feel something for me anyway."

"How thick are you? I'm telling you right now I do!"

"Stop it!" she shouted, her tears still falling. He flinched. Twice now, she had yelled at him.

It hurt too much. She didn't know if she was supposed to believe him. But if he was lying again then it would be so much more painful to fall a second time. She couldn't risk that. She couldn't...

"How…" her voice trembled, "How am I supposed to know if you're lying or not?"

His heart twisted painfully. "I'm not…" his own voice cracked, and he could feel tears welling up in his eyes. He almost didn't believe it. How long had it been since he had cried?

"Miko? Are you ok up there?" her mother called.

"Fine mom!" she called, then, turning to Tooru, "Get out," she whispered, "She'll find you."

He clenched his fist, "I don't care."

"I do."

"Miko."

"Tooru. Get out."

He clenched his fists again, but headed for the window. "We're not done. I'll talk to you tomorrow."

"Please don't." She murmured, resting her head on her knees, wishing she had never agreed to that date in the first place.

* * *

 **A/N: Ugh this is so depressing. Where are the angst people? Are you all quite content?** ***glares at Mandalorian*** **Because fluffy little me is dying lol. Speaking of, is Mish still reading this, because I know they really wanted angst. Maybe I made them wait too long X3**

 **SoulXHunter: Noooo I know I feel so bad for Miko! Just wanna push her and Tooru together and be like he's sorry, he's just really stupid, please forgive himmmmm. Bahaha I'm excited to bring Annie and Iwa in ^^ Things will not end well for him no matter what his excuse I think. Annie is more of like ask for forgiveness rather than permission so I'm pretty sure the boys are gonna get a good smacking lol.**

 **tallandhandsome: Sorry if it was a bit confusing, hope this cleared it up a bit. Haha that horrible push pull of like "Goddamnit Trashykawa" but at the same time "Damnit I love you" I'm rooting for them too ;)**

 **Mello: Pretty much on the nose there hehe. Tooru really needs to step it up now.**


	28. Chapter 28

"I couldn't decide between the fudge bars and the rice krispies so I just got both." Annie held out the shopping bag as she entered Miko's room.

"Thanks," she smiled sadly, "Sorry I know it's late, and we have class tomorrow-"

"Who cares? Now explain it fully. Because you were all blubbery on the phone."

With a deep breath and teary eyes, Miko began to explain to her friend just what had happened.

Annie blinked, slightly dumfounded. "Wait, wait, you're saying Iwa made the bet?"

"I don't know. That's what he told me. It doesn't seem right."

Annie's face paled. "Shit."

"What?"

"That bastard. I'm gonna kill him."

"Annie, what happened?"

Annie sighed, angrily taking a bite of the rice krispie. "Back when you guys first started dating, I went to ask Iwa about Tooru, because I had a bad feeling about it all. And then he told me that Tooru wasn't such a bad guy and to have a little faith because he wouldn't have set you guys up if he didn't think so. But I didn't know he meant _this._ "

Miko chewed silently. "Why'd he want to set us up?"

Annie shrugged, "How would I know? The guys a complete idiot, honestly…" Annie gave a low groan, "I'm gonna go figure this out."

"Wait, Annie-"

"You sit here and cry and stuff. I'm gonna go beat the shit out of my boyfriend."

Miko swallowed awkwardly. She knew Annie didn't mean it figuratively.

…

A sleepy Iwa walked over to his front door, because his buzzer was being assaulted. At nearly 11:30pm. It could only be one person. He opened the door with a yawn. "Annie what are you-"

 _Smack._

His eyes widened, and it took a solid two seconds for him to realize what had happened. His eyes narrowed, and he glared at her. "What the hell was that for?!"

"You know what it was for! They broke up you dickwad! I told you this would happen! And it's all your goddamn fault!"

Iwa made a face. "What? Who broke up? Do you know what time it is? We have school-"

"Who do you think I'm talking about? Tooru and Miko obviously!"

Iwa blinked, his face twisting with a certain sadness. "Did she not feel the same way?"

Annie nearly slapped him again. "What kind of a question is that? How would you feel finding out your entire relationship is a lie-"

"Wait, wait. Stop. Tooru said he was gonna tell her he loved her today."

"W-What?"

Iwa groaned, "Come inside. It's way too cold out here."

"No. Explain this right now."

He sighed. "I don't know, Annie," he rubbed his face, trying to not be so sleepy, "Tooru went out and bought Miko a present or something and he made his mom make cheesecake because he was going to confess his love or whatever. You know how dramatic he is."

Crossing her arms, Annie stared him down doubtfully. "Well that's not what happened."

"What happened then?"

"He told Miko that the only reason he asked her out was because of a bet. A bet that _you_ started, by the way."

Iwa's face fell flat. "Well he told her he called it off right?"

"What?"

"He came over to my house this weekend to forfeit. I was pretty proud of him, to be honest."

"Well he didn't mention that! Obviously there wouldn't be a problem if he had!"

Iwa sighed. Tooru had never been very bright, but this was taking it to a whole new level. "That idiot. I'm going to kill him-"

"Iwa." Her voice was calm. It was a strange sort of thing to hear, since Annie's voice was always strong or passionate with a touch of anger mixed in. He looked at her, "Y-Yeah?"

"Why would you do something like that?"

"Do what?"

"Start a bet like that in the first place."

He put his hands in the pockets of his pajama pants, "Because…"

"Because?"

"Tooru only dates dumb girls. You were always talking about Miko so I figured she'd be good for him…and you know…you guys were friends…"

"What's that got to do with anything?"

"If Miko came to our games then that meant you'd come to our games."

Annie blinked, her heart warming up a bit. All this because he wanted her to watch him play? She could have kissed him.

Instead though, she bonked him on the head. " _Baka!_ You could have just said so!"

"Ow, god!"

"How the hell are we supposed to fix this?"

"I don't know, Annie it's Tooru's fault!"

"No. It's your fault. For thinking a dumbass like him would successfully pull this off."

Iwa groaned, rubbing his head. "True…I guess..." he mumbled.

"Tell your asshole of a friend he better make it up to her. She's been crying all afternoon."

"I'll talk to him tomorrow."

"You have his number don't you? Call him now!"

Iwa exhaled ever-so-patiently. "Annie. It's midnight. He's probably asleep."

"Iwaizumi I swear to god-"

He quickly pulled out his phone and dialed Tooru. It went straight to voicemail. "There, see? I'll talk to him tomorrow. They'll be back to lovey dovey before you know it."

Annie shook her head, crossing her arms again. "I've got a real bad feeling all of a sudden."

"It'll be fine, Annie."

She stared at him, "I hope you're right."

* * *

 **A/N: So...yeah. Idk what to even comment anymore. Just know I'm crying on the inside lol. Oh! I did want to ask though, who would you guys like to see after this story is done? I love my baby Kei but he's hard to write for :/ I'm also obsessed with Rolling Thunder ;) hehe...and well I could go down the list, I basically think they're all baes so...I feel as though this has been mentioned already. In any case, hope you all enjoyed the update!**

 **Mello: Hahaha! Oh my gosh I laughed maybe a bit too hard XD I immediately thought of the dumb-dumb gum-gum thing from Night at the Museum Xp**

 **SoulXHunter: Judging from the all caps, I'm going to assume you are suffering from a heavy dose of feels. I'm sorry to tell you but, it is an incurable disease. *hugs* Stay strong, my friend. But seriously yeah, Miko needs to realize she has him wrapped around her finger if only she'd give him the chance to explain xD**

 **Mei Lee: The pain train! Omg hahaha I love it, never heard that term before XD Glad you're enjoying it!**

 **tallandhandsome: I know, our poor baby Tooru. Somebody please knock some sense into this lost child of ours.**


	29. Chapter 29

Tooru walked silently along the row of houses, his hands in his pockets. Many, if not most of these residences, had brick or cement walls with gates, as though to deter entry. He wondered if all that was really necessary, when a simple fence would suffice. But that seemed to be the norm, in this neighborhood. Where was he again?

It was cold, and the wind bit his skin, but he didn't really care. She had looked at him as though she didn't know who he was. Like they were complete strangers. He never wanted to see that look on her face ever again. He was bubbling with a strange sort of adrenaline he wasn't familiar with. Maybe it would be best if he just went home and tried to sleep it all off.

Instead, he continued to walk. Clenching his jaw, his steps became angrier and angrier. If she had just sat there and listened to him explain, then it would have been fine. She thought she was so smart that she had it all figured out and that she already knew what he meant. Bullshit. Maybe she really was conceited. What gave her the right to just push him away like that? She didn't know anything. Granted, maybe he should have worded it differently. But he didn't know how else to say it. Damnit if she would have just…

He slammed his fist into the wall, the blunt pain shooting up his arm. His hand rested there, pressed against the wall, and his entire arm began to shake. The tears welled up in his eyes, only making him angrier.

 _So stupid,_ he thought, as the tears slipped silently down his face. He shouldn't punch things. He wasn't very good at it, if something small like this had him in tears. Because that's why he was crying. From the pain of the punch. It wasn't because…

How had things turned out this way? He didn't want to hurt her. She looked so hopelessly broken. Maybe he should call her. He doubted she'd even answer to begin with, but what else was he supposed to do?

His phone buzzed in his pocket and his heart caught in his throat. Was she finally willing to listen to him? She had reacted in a perfectly natural way before, after all. He couldn't blame her for freaking out. He probably hadn't explained it all that eloquently anyway. Well, she knew that. Words were her thing, not his. If she was messaging him now then he'd run back to her house right away and tell her everything. Maybe if he was fast enough then he could even stop by his own house to pick up her present and then-

2 APPS NEED UPDATING

His everything just about sank down to the floor. He stared at his phone for longer than could have been described as normal. With a sharp inhale he shut it off, not wanting to go through any more sinking disappointment.

He'd talk to her tomorrow. Hold her down if he had to so that he could finally explain every single bit of it to her and make her understand. He'd make a damn show of it too. His stomach lurched. Something told him she probably wouldn't like that very much. Ok, so maybe that was a bit extreme. But he'd still go talk to her.

 _Please don't._

He knew that that's what she had said, but did she mean it? Did girls mean it when they said things like that? Was he supposed to just ignore it or respect her wishes? What was she expecting him to do? Miko was generally a pretty straight forward person. He shoved his hands in his pockets again, his right hand still sore from punching that wall.

Ok, so maybe what he had said was not what he should have said. He'd wait though. He knew she'd come around soon enough right? She wasn't the type to hold a grudge or anything like that. If she wanted him to wait until she had mulled everything over, then he'd wait. And when she was ready to hear him out then he most definitely would tell her anything she wanted to know.

* * *

 **A/N: I just wanna hug Tooru and run my fingers through his hair while I feed him cheesecake to cheer him up ^^ OMG you guys I can't believe I didn't mention Tetsu before like obviously he's way up there on my list of baes lol. I think right now it's between him, Kei and Nishinoya ^^**

 **SoulXHunter: Haha I know the more I write about Annie the more I fall in love with her XD She's everything I would want to be, but sadly I'm not nearly as outspoken as she is haha. It's really not that intricate of a plan, Tooru is just...*cringes* Tooru. I'm excited for these next chapters!**

 **Mello: Hahaha! That was like my favorite XD It's hard to picture Annie being sad. Like she'd either just convert it into anger or brush it off entirely. Like what, sadness? No, I completely reject that haha.**

 **InLuvWithCandy: Haha poor Iwa-chan. Seems he can handle it though Xp And I know that lazy feel o.o**

 **Pergjithshme: Welcome back! Haha I'm so glad you're pumped! I'm pumped too :D I know what you mean about wanting her to forgive him quickly but at the same time wanting him to suffer a fiery pit of hell for being such a complete idiot lol.**

 **Happy reading everyone!**


	30. Chapter 30

Miko wasn't sure what she had been expecting. But now that it was happening, she knew precisely what she _didn't_ want. She wasn't exactly going out of her way to avoid Tooru or anything, but somehow they had managed to not run into each other at all. At lunch he was surrounded by his fan club, a large smile plastered on his face. She smiled wryly at seeing that. It wasn't a real smile, she knew him well enough to say at least that much confidently. But with a few uttered words, and with a few flashed smiles, he had all those girls melting in his hands. Had she been the same way? Falling for his charming smile and not-so-heartfelt words?

Maybe it was better this way. Maybe he was happier this way. The thought alone was enough to make her want to burst into tears all over again, so after seeing that, she _did_ go out of her way to avoid him.

She had thought that maybe he was going to come talk to her. So that they could sort everything out. He _had_ said they'd talk today, didn't he? So why was he…

"Miko!"

Annie was running up to her, dragging a frazzled-looking Iwa with her. "Where's Tooru?" she asked, out of breath.

"I-I don't know. I haven't seen him."

Iwa groaned, rubbing his head, "Annie I told you-"

"No, shut up. This is getting freaking ridiculous. Miko, your boyfriend is the literal worst-"

"Well I don't think he's my boyfriend anymore, so-"

"Uh shut up please. I'm not done. He's the literal worst, but so is Iwa-"

"Hey-"

"And the bottom line is we just have to deal with it. Because it's like one of those terms and conditions you know? Listen, Tooru called off the bet before he told you about it. He was actually gonna be real sweet about it. Iwa swears on it."

"It's true." He said from behind Annie, backing her up, "Actually, Miko, I wanted to apologize too. I should've gone about it a different way...then maybe none of this would have happened..."

Miko smiled sadly, "It's ok. I know you weren't doing anything on purpose. And I appreciate what you guys are trying to do but-"

"But nothing. Go see him right now!"

Miko frowned. "Shouldn't he be the one coming to see me?"

"She's got a point…" Iwa muttered. Annie punched him. "Miko, I know it's annoying. But trust me, if you just-"

"What's the point? He's over there somewhere surrounded by thirty girls who would happily take my place. I-I have studying to do anyway."

"Miko!" Annie was about to chase after her, but the bell rang, and Iwa grabbed her arm.

"Let me go, dammnit or they're both gonna regret this."

"Annie. She doesn't want us to fix it."

"Are you some sort of stupid? Of course she does!"

"Annie."

"Didn't you see her eyes? Come on, Iwa how dense are you?"

He grabbed her by the shoulders. "You need to calm down. Going in guns blazing isn't going to fix anything. Right now we need to get to class. We can figure it out after school."

She growled. "Fine. But I'm going to beat Tooru upside the head."

"Annie!"

"Why wouldn't he try and talk to her today?!"

Even Iwa had to admit that he found it strange. But he couldn't let Annie get all fired up again or who knew what would happen. "Afterschool. We'll work it out."

"I'm sick of waiting Iwa."

He rubbed her back, "I know."

Annie, however, was unable to let this go. "It's just so frustrating!" She grumbled, as they climbed up the stairs. Iwa took her hand in his. "I know it's annoying but-"

"No, it's more than that. Your friend is a complete asshole. Do you have any idea how she must be feeling right now? He doesn't deserve her, does he know that? Someone better tell him. I'm gonna tell him. I fucking hate Oikawa. I hate-"

He kissed her lips, holding her close. She pushed him away, "You can't do that every time you wanna shut me up-"

He pulled her back in, and kissed her harder, wrapping his other arm around her back, his tongue trying to push its way through her lips.

"I-Iwa!"

He smirked, "Out of breath already?"

"We're at school!" she scolded.

"Relax, would you? I don't like you all worked up."

"I'm always all worked up…" she grumbled.

He chuckled, "Should I do that all the time then?"

She sighed. "You're such a pervert."

"Hardly. You feeling better?"

"Hmph."

"Come on…I know you are…"

"I'm not."

He lightly tickled her side, "Not even a little bit?"

She giggled, smacking his hand away, "Iwa!" Then, sighing, "I just hate seeing Miko like that. She's like a sister, you know?"

"It'll be fine. Promise." He said encouragingly, rubbing her arm up and down.

Without overthinking it, Annie quickly kissed her boyfriend's cheek. "You're kind of a dork, you know."

He laughed, "I hope it doesn't bother you too much."

"I'll live with it." She said, letting out an exasperated sigh.

He nudged her, smiling, before the two walked into class.

* * *

 **A/N: Goddamnit I love Annie and Iwa lol.**

 **SoulXHunter: Hahaha I know right? You think he'd be more careful considering hands are everything in volleyball o.o He's doing what he thinks is best XD Granted, he's an idiot the poor thing...*sigh* Annie, please hit him already.**

 **tallandhandsome: Hahaha Tooru-chan I like it Xp Ugh yes he is. His emotions are all over the place and he needs to get a hold of himself. Like I've said before, he's just a hot mess haha.**

 **So thanks for reading guys, and hope you enjoyed the update :D**


	31. Chapter 31

"Oi. Tooru." Iwa walked up to him, holding a volleyball.

Tooru looked up glumly, spinning a separate ball in his hands. Now that practice was over, they were finally able to talk.

"Iwa-chan…do you get in fights with Annie?"

Iwa tossed the ball up and down absent-mindedly. "All the time."

"Does she ever say she doesn't want to see you?"

"Definitely."

"How long do you wait, then?"

Wait, he wondered, wait for what? It took a bit, but at that moment, Iwa understood his friend's thought process. He groaned inwardly. "Tooru. What did she tell you?"

"She told me not to talk to her…but I don't know. It's felt so weird today." Tooru stared hard at the ball in his hands, as though his life depended on it. He looked back up at his friend, "Iwa-chan-"

"Stop calling me that."

"What do you do when Annie's mad at you?"

"I kiss her."

He looked back down, "I tried that yesterday, but she pushed me away."

"Girls mean the opposite of what they say."

Tooru shot him an annoyed look. "That makes no sense Iwa! You're supposed to be helping me!"

Finding his patience completely worn out, Iwa threw the ball hard and fast, directly at Oikawa's face.

"OW!" He fell back dramatically, landing on his butt in the empty gym. "Iwa! You're so mean!"

He picked up the ball and hit him again, so that it bounced off his head and over to the other side of the court.

"Stop it!"

"IS VOLLEYBALL THE ONLY THING YOU UNDERSTAND?" He would have hit him again, but the ball was too far away. Iwa took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down, "Tooru. Describe a feint."

Oikawa rubbed his head, grimacing, "It's a deceptive tactic. You act like you're going to hit the ball really hard but instead you do a soft hit, to catch the other team off guard." He sat on the ground, his legs spread out, staring at the opposite wall, blinking. "But I don't get how that…" his voice trailed off, as he slowly put the pieces together in his mind, "That…makes sense…"

The doors to the gym burst open.

"WHERE IS HE?"

Tooru's eyes widened, and though he didn't know why, a chill ran down his spine, making him stand up instinctively. "I-Iwa…" his voice wavered.

Annie took off after him, and immediately Tooru started to run. "IWA-CHAN!"

Iwa groaned, "I told you not to call me that."

Annie dove in, her softball skills being put to work, and lunged for Tooru's feet, knocking them both to the ground. She clambered over him quickly, and slapped him hard across the face.

"Ow!"

"That's for making Miko cry all day." She said, out of breath.

"She was crying?"

"What kind of a dumbass comment is that?!"

He defensively raised his arms to his head, trying to shield himself. Annie got up, and pinched his ear, pulling him up with her.

"Owowow-"

"Listen here, Trashykawa. Miko really likes you. I don't know why, I mean look at you, but she does. So fucking do something about this."

"Iwaaa help meeee-"

She pulled his ear harder, "Why didn't you talk to her today?"

"I already told Iwa! She told me not to! I don't know!"

Annie let him go out of pure shock, and turned to face Iwa. "Is he serious?"

Iwa shrugged.

Tooru curled up on the floor, his knees up to his chest and his head buried between his legs.

"Iwa…" Annie said calmly, hovering over the setter, "I'm gonna kick him."

No one said anything, and it was as though the only thing heard in the silent gym were the echoes of Annie's angry breaths.

"Iwa," she repeated, "Imma kick him."

Iwa quickly rushed over, taking that as his cue to stop his girlfriend before she got carried away. "Ok let's all just calm down for a bit-"

Annie grabbed Tooru again, lifting him off the ground with surprising strength. "Listen to me," she yelled at him, and Tooru flinched, feeling horribly uneasy about the fact that such a small girl had the ability to terrify him so deeply, "And listen carefully, because I'm only going to ask you once. What the hell are you going to do about this?"

"I-I don't know…I…" he glanced over at Iwa, "I guess go talk to her? I don't know where she is-"

"WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU?"

Tooru shut his eyes, wondering what he had said wrong.

"What does Miko do while she's waiting for you to finish practice?"

"I-I don't know! She writes at the bench by…" his voice trailed off, as though in a sort of daze, and he suddenly looked around the room, "I have to go!"

He ran for the doors, but stopped midway, turning back to frantically grab his gym bag.

"I think he gets it now." Iwa said, as he watched Tooru haphazardly throwing his bag over his shoulder, and bolting out the gym doors.

"He freaking better." Annie sighed, crossing her arms.

* * *

 **A/N: Lol I feel bad but like I really don't XD Like at all haha. Oh poor Tooru. Mandalorian, how'd I do? So basically, I'm pretty sure the next chapter will be the last one, unless I get a sudden stroke of like a writing spark. Just wanted to give you all a fair warning so you're not all like WHAATT lol. Also! My next Haikyuu story will feature Tsukki, Nishinoya, and Kuroo because I couldn't choose between just one bae X3 so come indulge with me haha!**

 **SoulXHunter: Haha well thank you very much Xp I think I was just suffering from a serious fluff withdrawal. In any case, yes, I think *hopefully* they both understand now lol.**

 **tallandhandsome: Deep breaths, deep breaths. In through the nose and out through the mouth hehe. You most definitely do not have to pick a side. If it were me, I choose Annie's side because I just don't want to get hit XD so whatever she's fighting for I'll follow hahaha.**

 **Happy reading everyone!**


	32. Chapter 32

Miko wasn't quite sure why she had decided to sit there afterschool. Maybe it was just a force of habit, or maybe it was because she was secretly hoping he'd come meet her. Maybe it was simply because she wrote best in this spot, under the shade of the large tree, the sun warming her back. Whatever the case, she was there, and for the first time all day, she felt calm.

As Tooru came up on the big hill, he saw her. She looked so perfect, sitting there. No one was around, since school had been over for a few hours now. But she was sitting on that bench, writing like it was the most natural thing in the world. Her hair hung loosely over her scarf as her skilled wrists scrawled across the page. He walked over to her, clearing his throat.

"May I sit here?"

She looked up, and in her eyes he knew she hadn't expected to run into him. "Um," she looked down, continuing to write in her notebook, "If you want."

He dropped his gym bag, sitting down next to her. You could see down the hill from here, and with the sun setting behind them, it gave everything an orange sort of glow. She didn't say anything, the only sounds coming from her pen hitting the paper.

"That one day, when I looked into your notebook…I did read one part. You wanted to know why I like you."

She lifted her head, her eyes curious, but she managed to maintain a fierce look.

"I like how your eyes light up when you're talking about writing."

Her expression softened at his comment.

He clenched his hands. "And I like how you'd blush after I kissed you. I like that you can laugh at anything and that you always have a smile on your face. I like your hair up or down, and I love the fact that you can't make chocolates to save your life. I like that you hate onions with a passion and I like how your voice gets really high when you're nervous or embarrassed. And actually, none of that's true, because I don't like those things. I love those things." He lifted his head, his expression hard and pleading, "M-Miko I love y-"

She threw her arms around him, trembling. "You idiot."

He held her as though she might disappear. "Miko-"

"Please stop. If you keep saying my name like that I'll start crying."

He could only hold her tighter in response, burying his face in her hair.

"I love you." He whispered softly, but she had heard it, and she squeezed him tighter in her small arms, repeating his words back to him.

"I-I have something for you," he said, pulling away momentarily to dig through his bag, "It was better wrapped before but…I guess it got tossed around a bit…"

Miko stared at the crinkled present he had placed on her lap; then, quickly looking up at him, "F-For me?"

He nodded.

She undid it carefully, pulling at the tape, and letting the wrapping unfold on her lap. Staring back at her was a leather-bound notebook. It held a multitude of pages, she noticed, without being obtrusively heavy, and she could hold it easily in her hands. "T-Tooru-"

"Do you like it?"

"It's beautiful."

"I thought you might need it…considering your old one…you know…"

She leaned in next to him, and he wrapped his arm around her shoulder. "It's perfect. Thank you."

"You're welcome."

They sat in silence for a bit, before Miko decided to speak up again.

"Don't," she hesitated, "Don't pull anything like that ever again."

He chuckled nervously, "I won't. Promise. I'm sorry it all turned out so-"

"I know." She smiled, and snuggled up closer to him.

"So," he exhaled, "Y-You're still mine, right Shorty?"

She looked up at him, crinkling her nose, and giggled a bit, "I am," she said, "Even if you do call me that."

Tooru felt his heartbeat quicken, just then, the generally steady _ba-dumps_ becoming fast and irregular. With his arms still around her he kissed her lips, not ever wanting to let go.

…

"Well I'm glad that's over." Annie said, leaning her head back against the wall.

Iwa leaned back to join her, the two sitting side by side.

"Cheers to us," Annie held up her juice box, and Iwa hit it with his own, congratulating themselves.

"Hey, Iwa," Annie said suddenly.

He glanced at her, sipping his juice, "Yeah?"

"How about you never do something stupid like this ever again?"

He chuckled at that, "Deal."

She sighed, somewhat relieved, and feeling sort of bubbly. "Well now what are we supposed to do?"

Iwa thought a bit, glancing up with a blank expression. He looked over at Annie, who was staring off just as blankly, and for whatever reason, he thought she looked really beautiful like that.

"Actually, one thing hasn't been addressed yet." He said.

She turned to face him, "What's that?"

He leaned in close, his expression perfectly serious, "I love you, Annie."

Her face went completely red, and before she could give him an answer, he placed a sweet and tender kiss on her lips, lingering there for a moment before deciding to pull back.

Completely embarrassed, she could only mumble in response.

"Hm? I didn't catch that."

"I love you too." She whispered softly, dropping her gaze from his.

Placing his hand over hers, he leaned in again, kissing her once more.

A few weeks later…

"Come on, Shorty, you can do it."

She made a face, "I don't know…"

"Come on, just one bite!" Annie encouraged.

"You can always spit it out." Iwa reminded her.

Closing her eyes, Miko bit into the onion ring she had drenched in special sauce.

Her three friends stared at her anxiously, waiting for the verdict. She opened her eyes in surprise as she continued to chew. "That's actually," she bit into it again, "Pretty good!"

Tooru pumped his fist, "Yes! I will make you love onions!"

"Ok, hold on. I had one onion ring. Slow down please."

He grinned wildly at her. "I'll put em in your burgers and your ramen and anything else you can think of."

She cringed, "Tooru…"

Annie laughed, "You guys are such nerds."

Tooru stuck his tongue out at her, "You're the one all curled up next to Iwa-chan."

Annie blushed, "W-What's wrong with it?"

"Seriously. Stop with that name."

Miko giggled. Glancing around, she couldn't help but feel perfectly happy. She had eaten onions, which is something she'd never thought she'd do, but she was happy just the same. Reaching up a bit, she kissed Tooru's cheek.

"Hm?" he glanced down at her curiously.

She smiled, shaking her head, "Can't a girl kiss her boyfriend?"

He quickly kissed her cheek in return, lowering his lips to her ear so that only she would hear, "As much as you want."

* * *

 **A/N: *Curls up and bawls* omg I hate ending stories it always makes me so sad D: But I'm also so happy :'D Hot damn. I seriously did not think anyone would care about this story so when I read all of your comments and see that you favorite/follow it fills me with the warm fuzzies :3 so thank you for the warm fuzzies! Part of me wants to do more with these pairings just because I've grown so attached to them, but I'm not sure Xp In any case, now that the story is all done, I'd love to know what my non-regular reviewers thought!**

 **SoulXHunter: Omg yassss Tamaki! Haha love that guy XD**

 **tallandhandsome: Haha I'm just glad Tooru was smart enough to put two and two together XD**

 **Mello: Hehe sorry. Glad you caught up. Annie is a queen :D I love her and Iwa.**

 **For those of you who were interested in Kei/Kuroo/Nishinoya trying to find their loves, the first chapter of that story is up under "Just Call it a Love Story" so please check it out!**

 **Not sure if anyone cares, but I thought it'd be fun to share some ideas as to how this story _almost_ went:**

 **1\. Annie was never supposed to be paired with Iwa (this happened courtesy of Snow Women)**

 **2\. Because of this, Annie was only supposed to show up in 2 chapters.**

 **3\. Asahi was Miko's confused 'middle school moment'**

 **4\. Miko almost walked in on Tooru and Iwa discussing the bet.**

 **5\. If #3 happened, they would have been separated a more significant amount of time.**

 **I just think it's fun to see how many directions a story can go. Like I said, not sure if anyone cares lol. But again, a big THANK YOU to all you guys! I had so much fun writing this, and it's so great to see that so many of you enjoyed reading it! *hugs from me* Don't forget to check out the new story! Until we meet again^_^**

 **-Author-chan~**


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